Angel's Sacrifice
by IsabellaWinxSirenix
Summary: When an attempted assassination is made on Queen Islanzadi's life, it sparks a brutal war between Planet Lexicon and Planet Zenith. When everyone's lives are on the line, how far will WordGirl go to save the ones she loves? Sequel to When the Light Dies, Forgotten Destiny, and A Symbol of Hope. Book 4 of the Radiance series. Rated T for violence, abuse, bombs, and death.
1. Engraving

**Hi, everyone! It's me, IsabellaWinxSirenix a.k.a. WinxMagiaDiWordGirl. So here's my continuation of the Radiance series, Angel's Sacrifice. If you haven't read the added epilogue in A Symbol of Hope, please do so before reading this. I have to warn you: in this book, prepare for a surprise/cliffhanger at the end of every single chapter. You'll find out that I love those! :D Anyway, on with the story!**

**Random quote:  
"Hey, you were trying to guess the secret code! I can't believe you lied to me! I mean, if you can't trust a superhero, who can you trust?"  
–Chuck, "You Can't Crush City Hall"**

**Disclaimer: "Do I even need to say anything?"**

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"Thank God they got her to a healer in time," said Tobey as the ground quaked yet again. For the past five hours since Becky's attempted coronation, the entire planet had been trembling and plunging into darkness as Islanzadi's heart failed and started up again. Healers had been working around the clock, frantically trying to save their queen and planet. Instead of using medicine and preforming complex operations, Lexiconians used herbs and minerals; anything from nature, for their theory was that since they were created from nature, only nature could restore them. Becky had offered to use the Light of Hope to heal her, but since she didn't have any control over it, the healers thought it would do more harm than good. Waiting outside, Becky disagreed, but there was nothing she could do but cry as Tobey held her close.

"It's all my fault," sobbed Becky quietly, repeating what every holo-news feed was saying about her across the globe. Almost every single Lexiconian was blaming Becky for this worldwide crisis. Many citizens were protesting for Becky to be denied her royal title, saying that they would never want such a weak, softhearted person to lead their planet. Others were speculating on whether she was a traitor, bribed by some rival nation to bring down Lexicon by arranging for someone to shoot the queen. Of course, Becky hadn't done anything of the sort, but she still felt responsible. If only she had the nerve to kill her mother, even now, she wouldn't be in this mess. She felt terrible, the deluge of hate and spite pounding in her head incessantly. What kind of princess was she if she had put her planet in jeopardy like this? Her mother was pleading for her to drive the sword through her heart, and yet Becky didn't have the guts to do it. If someone wants to die, it shouldn't count as murder, right? It didn't to most people, but it did to Becky. Now it seemed everyone was going to pay for her moment of weakness, especially her mother.

Becky's relationship with her birth mother was a complicated matter. At first, it was quite difficult for Becky to see past the initial aversion to her, seeing as she almost took over the world. When Becky came back for visits, she used to flinch in fear whenever she came into view, trying to make herself as unnoticeable as possible. In spite of the Light of Hope inside Miss Power, she was always reminded of terror she had put her through. She feared that sooner or later, she would take away the mask of kindness and torment her daughter once more. For this reason, Becky always kept her guard up around the queen, terrified that yet another person in the universe had betrayed her lied to her. These were natural actions towards the woman who had haunted eleven-year-old Becky's nightmares for months. She wasn't going to kid herself: she could never truly trust Miss Power. Still, after Becky saw the hurt in her mother's eyes at her mistrust and withdrawal, she decided to extend the olive branch and try to get to know her mother, the only birth family she had. Becky wanted to find out what had made her mother become so horrible.

It turned out that Miss Power had started out just as nice as Becky. Unlike her daughter, however, she had been willing to bend her moral standards, justifying them with shallow, hollow excuses about doing it for the good of Lexicon, when it really was to serve her vengeful nature. Driven into madness with guilt, her boyfriend, Zephyr, was the only person who could guide her in the right direction. However, about a year into their secret relationship, both were caught in a spaceship crash, with only the queen surviving. Once he died, Miss Power lost all control over herself, both mentally and emotionally. She became horribly unstable as she fully surrendered herself to all-consuming rage and grief. Still, underneath the pain and suffering, there was still a part of her that still had the ability to love, a part Becky and the Light of Hope had increased tenfold, helping to ease the pain. Despite all the horrendous things she had done, she was still a good person, and Becky couldn't stand not being able to save her.

"It's going to be okay, Alexandria," said Adelina, joining the silent vigil outside the healer's room. Over the years, she and Becky had formed a kind of friendship, brought together by their suffering and mourning. Ever since Andrew died, Adelina had changed. For the first couple of weeks, she had resigned herself to sitting in bed, gazing at the ceiling as if she could see straight through to the clouds of Heaven where Andrew now dwelled. She was lost without him, forgetting what life was worth living for. Only Becky had been able to provide some consolation, hugging her while she poured out innumerable memories of Andrew. Eventually, she had returned to a state of normalcy, but she wasn't exactly the same, nor would she ever be again. She no longer moved with her former grace and elegance and would only sing melancholy songs of lost and unrequited love, the only outlet for the grief to escape her mind, to not become completely insane with loss. When speaking to others, she would often speak in a dazed tone, not firmly planted in what was going on around her. Many times, Adelina would enter into a sort of trance, losing all grip on reality as she delved fully into a world of sorrow, only to return with a jolt a few minutes later, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her once sparkling eyes were now clouded with the shadow of grief, blocking the true beauty of the world. It pained Becky to see her friend suffer, but there was nothing she could do. Looking now into Adelina's lifeless eyes, she couldn't stand the idea of her mother dying, to become a hollow shell of a person like Adelina.

Just then, the Chief Healer approached the pair of them. Becky perked up, hoping for good news.

"Queen Islanzadi is stabilizing," she stated, trying to hide her vehemence for the princess underneath a look of professional indifference. "We predict she will make a full recovery."

Smiling with relief, Becky pushed aside the small twinge of hurt at the woman's icy tone. At least she hadn't completely messed up. But who would want to kill her mother?

Before going back inside, the healer said, "There's another message. The High Council requests an audience with you at the palace, Princess Alexandria." She pointedly glanced at Tobey. "No one else is authorized."

Giving the healer her ultimate death stare, usually saved solely for her annoying brother TJ, Becky dismissed her and shot like a bullet into the sky, reaching the palace within seconds. She hesitated at the doors of the Grand Hall, where the High Council was sure to be situated. The High Council consisted of every noble on Lexicon, everyone from archdukes to lords, and while Becky alone had more political power than all of them combined, they were formidable. One of the first lessons she had was to always stay in the High Council's good graces, for if the decision was unanimous, they could even punish the Royal Family. Right now, Becky knew she would be severely punished for not completely the Ceremony of Passing. Still, she knew it would be all the worse if she waited, so resigning herself to fate, she opened the doors.

All 63 members of the High Council swiveled their heads simultaneously once Becky had entered the room. Looking about, Becky observed that the nobles seemed polite enough, albeit a scattering of icily glances. Archduke Cyrus, leader of the country of Vertias, rose from his place at the head of the long marble table.

"Welcome, Princess Alexandria," he greeted formally. "We heard of your mother's condition; we hope she will make a full recovery."

"Your concern is appreciated," Becky replied, remembering her lessons on proper etiquette when dealing with nobles, although she hated the way the words rolled off her tongue.

Bowing respectfully, he moved to the empty seat directly to his left, gesturing for Becky to take the place of honor at the head of the High Council. She sat down, waiting with bated breath for the verdict on her punishment.

"Now, I'm sure you know why we called you here, correct?"

"Before you punish me, I just want to say that I'm really sorry I didn't preform the ceremony, but I just couldn't stand the thought of killing my own mother!" blurted Becky.

The archduke, as well as the other nobles, was taken aback by her outburst although with a hint of amusement. "Alexandria, of course we're not going to punish you! Where in the galaxy did you get such a preposterous idea?"

It was Becky's turn to look surprised. "Because of me, our planet almost died!" she shouted, throwing proper manners to the wind. "Aren't you going to revoke my title, exile me, or punish me somehow?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" exclaimed a duchess rather snootily. "Of course, we are displeased, but we understand the fact that you were not raised with our way of thinking. Fear not; you are not at fault."

"And besides, we've got much more important matter on our hands," added Archduke Cyrus. "We have just received reports on the arrow that nearly killed Queen Islanzadi. Tests show that it was crafted from 100% pure Lexonite."

"Lexonite?" repeated Becky. "Are you sure?" According to her studies, Lexonite was a highly rare mineral, only found in nearby asteroids and the Xié'è ring of Lexicon. While deadly to Lexiconians, it wasn't exactly the easiest thing to get your hands on.

"My dear, it is Lexonite, after all," said Lord Alaric, former leader of Iustitia and on good terms with Becky. "It's not that hard to test."

"Unfortunately, we were at a loss to discover who was behind this near assassination," said the archduke. "Security at the ceremony said in the firmest confidence that no one was carrying the mineral in or out of the pavilion. This was quite easy to deduce, for everyone present was Lexiconian, and as we all know, no Lexiconian would have been able to fight the negative effects of Lexonite long enough to fire the arrow with such precision and accuracy. For this reason, we believe the culprit must have been a foreigner. This theory was heightened about fifteen minutes ago, when a valuable clue was discovered. Engraved on the arrowhead were the initials TTM."

"What does that mean?" asked Becky curiously. "Does it stand for someone's name?"

The archduke shook his head. "It stands for the phrase 'Tra Taangeven Milito'."

Even though Becky knew perfectly well what it meant, he translated it anyway. It was a phrase that could destroy the peace Lexicon had been striving for for five years, a phrase that could undo everything, a phrase that could very well mean the end of their planet.

"It's a declaration of war."

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**Yikes! Just when you thought the fighting was over! Expect the second chapter on Saturday, but in the meantime, review!**


	2. Dying Flame

**By the way, I forgot to mention in Chapter 1 that this story was inspired by The Prophecy of the Star by wolfchic011 and Fading Facade by Platonic. The second one's really good, but I'd advise you getting a bowl of popcorn because it will take you an hour or two to finish depending on your reading level. Anyway, there's not much to say about this one other than the inevitable relationship drama starts here, though I'm saving the juicy nuggets for later, maybe Chapters 5 and 6.**

**This is going to seem like a pretty melancholy chapter, but it's quite cheery compared to the other chapters I have in store. This story is going to make you cry much more than make you laugh.**

**Random quote:  
"If I quit, I won't lose, so there, you can't beat me, won't beat me, NEVER!"  
–Miss Power, "The Rise of Miss Power: Part 4" (That movie was epicness!)**

**Disclaimer: Trust me, you'd all hate it if I ran WordGirl. I have a sense of humor the size of a housefly.**

* * *

It was like the war between Iustitia and Islanzadi multiplied by 100. Queen Islanzadi and the High Council had come to the conclusion that the threat was issued by Planet Zenith, Lexicon's long time rival and the most powerful military force in the Andromenia Galaxy. The Lexicon Air Force had been deployed to the Asterian Asteroid Belt and was awaiting orders. All on-ground troops were commanded to stay on Lexicon in the event that Zenith attacked first. The general population was in such an uproar that almost everyone had forgotten their hatred for Becky, probably the only positive factor that had come out of all of this. Officials were advising families with small children to stay indoors at all times, and a global curfew of the seventh Xié'è phase had been issued. All of this was done in the most discreet way possible, for Islanzadi wanted to have the element of surprise on their side.

For their safety, Queen Islanzadi, the High Court, and Becky were to stay inside the palace, which was arguably the most secure building on the planet, unable to leave. For days, Becky wandered around the palace, bored out of her mind, with no one but Tobey and Adelina for company while her mother had serious discussions about the war behind closed doors. But Queen Islanzadi wasn't the only one talking about war.

"I just wish I knew who did it," said Becky exasperatedly to Tobey. "I saw security; that ceremony had ten times the protection as the Hope Diamond."

"There had to be someone on the inside who gave a Zenithian security clearance to bring the arrow into the pavilion," deduced Tobey. "Someone with lots of influence, someone who had a motive, someone whom no one would question."

Becky gasped, knowing where he was going with that. "Are you suggesting that I orchestrated it?" she demanded, enraged that he even considered that.

"I said nothing of the sort," he replied in his fake British accent, a sure-fire way of telling he was lying.

"You made your intent perfectly clear!" Becky retorted, her voice reaching a crescendo. "Do you think I want to start a war?"

"Look, Becky. According to the rules of Lexicon, the prince or princess has the kill the sovereign. However, he or she doesn't have to be the one to directly end his or her life. As long as the intent was clear, you could've arranged for an archer to kill Miss Power because you couldn't bear the idea of getting blood on your hands, and you would still become queen."

Becky's mind was reeling, unable to believe that Tobey would even consider such an atrocity. "That is simply the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, Tobey. I can't believe you'd think I'd be willing to do such a thing!"

"I'm just trying to consider all the options. I know you wouldn't have wanted to start this war with Planet Zenith. Maybe you were tricked, or–"

"Yes, I was tricked!" shouted Becky so loudly that the whole castle could hear. "I was tricked when I thought you actually knew me! Why are you always acting like such a jerk?"

"God, Becky, why do you always make such a big deal about things like this? I make one little comment and you shove it into my face! You're always so controversial all the time!"

"Just shut up, Tobey! I can't stand you!" And she stormed off in a fit of rage, her blood boiling.

What was wrong with him? Did he really think she would think up such a convoluted scheme just to avoid driving that sword into her mother's heart? The Tobey she used to know would never consider that even for a minute. Tobey had changed so much in the past few years that it was hard to believe they were the same person. He had been sneaking off at odd hours, didn't return her calls, and fought with her much more often. It wasn't that clever little banter from their childhood, either. They were always at each other's throats, and their arguments had gradually escalated into full out fights, often bordering on violence. Was it some teenage hormonal thing? Possibly, but probably not. Even in her worst rages, Becky had always managed to keep her emotions in check before she got too worked up. With Tobey, it was like he was two different people, with the caring, affectionate side becoming more and more scarce by the day. Her coronation had been one of those rare occasions where he was actually kind to her. Could he at least make up his mind on whether he loved or hated her? Even Two-Brains was less difficult! Tobey aggravated Becky so much, and yet she never could find it in her heart to break up with him. In the back of her mind, she wanted to stay with him to see if underneath all that hateful adolescence there was still a tiny sliver of the geeky, robot-building boy she loved. Every day, that hope grew more and more faint up to the point where she was deluding herself. Even if he wanted to, Tobey would never be the same again. Oftentimes, Becky wondered if part of it was her fault. Maybe if she hadn't dragged him into her chaotic life, then some of his puppy love for her would still be preserved, and he wouldn't lash out at her like that. More than anything, Becky wanted to know if there was anything, anything at all, to turn back the hands of time and get back the Tobey she loved.

By now, her anger had abated into a melancholy depression, and she wandered the corridors aimlessly. Finally, some distraction arrived as Becky eavesdropped on a heated conversation between her mother and Archduke Cyrus in the throne room.

"No! I refuse to put my only daughter in that sort of danger!" declared the queen.

Her angst all but forgotten in light of this argument, Becky peeked through the door, intrigued.

"But Your Highness, it's for the good of the kingdom. Remember, Alexandria has the Light of Hope; that's sure to prove useful. She's faced worse dangers before, like the Battle of Salvation five years ago. She's more than qualified."

"All of that is true. However, you are forgetting one vital detail. Alexandria is the only princess of Lexicon. If she dies on your mission, our planet will be doomed."

"My Queen, you have heard the Prophecy of Angel's Sacrifice. You know she won't die. I understand that as her mother, you are concerned for her safety. Still, how is she supposed to fulfill her destiny if she doesn't have any hands-on experience?"

"Prophecies aren't always valid!"

"It's been proven both scientifically and astronomically. There is no escaping her fate."

Sighed, the queen resigned herself to his request. "But only if Alexandria agrees."

"Fair enough," replied the archduke. Raising his voice, he added. "Did you hear all of that, princess?"

Becky's eyes nearly popped out of her head with shock. She had been so quiet!

Amused, he tapped one finger to his ear. "Super hearing is something you must get used to. Now, as I'm sure you deduced, we are sending you on an undercover mission. You're going to Zenith."

Becky consented, knowing there must be more if her mother was so opposed to it. Still, never in a million years would she have expected the next words that came out of his mouth.

"You'll be setting off a nuclear bomb."

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**So Becky gets to set off a bomb while dealing with her problematic relationship with Tobey! I can almost hear lightball34 crying because of their argument. Next chapter, I have an added bonus for Winx Club fans (happydreamer, I'm looking at you): Tecna's home planet! Yes, that's where I got Zenith, so I bet you can already guess what the planet's like. Don't worry, no fairies will be mentioned, and you won't need to know anything about the show whatsoever to follow the plot.**

**Share your thoughts!**

**Love to all,**

**Bella**


	3. A Virtual World

**Hello and Happy Labor Day! I hope everyone's enjoying a day off work or school. Of course, if you're just starting school this week (lucky public schools!), then you're trying to make your last days of summer count. Maybe I can help with a new chapter! In this one, Becky and the gang go to Planet Zenith, obviously. Not much more to say. You'll notice that the chapters are getting shorter: a result of school and a desire of cliffhangers. I will make up for this later in the story when I overload your brain with 6 Word pages worth of a chapter. Anyway, on with the story!**

**Random quote:  
"You really think this ray of sunshine, this cutsie little angel from heaven broke into a store and committed robbery?" Me: Um, let me think... yeah!  
–Commissioner Watson, "The Wrong Side of the Law: Part 1" (I sort of forgot the quote; I haven't watched this ep in ages.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own – okay, why am I even bothering? Scholastic and Soup 2 Nuts both allow fanfiction stories for WordGirl, you all know I don't own WordGirl, so why do I have to keep repeating this?**

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Even in a state of war, Lexicon could still manage to organize an aerial military fleet in under fifteen minutes. Super speed did have its perks after all. So it happened that Becky was nervously sitting in the main area of the central spaceship before iento, the first of six meals on Lexicon, with the two other agents in her operation: Adelina and much to her displeasure, Tobey. The two of them were acting much like immature second graders: they were crossing their arms, giving blatant death stares, pretending not to hear the other, and refusing to speak to the other, using Adelina as a messenger until she was fed up with their quarrel and went to the cockpit for the remainder of the flight. Finally, after 30 tense, extremely awkward minutes, they could see the remote, purple planet of Zenith, dwarfed in comparison to Lexicon, hardly bigger than Mercury. With their destination so close, Becky's hands trembled violently, rattling the tiny sack in her lap containing the deadly explosive. The bomb was crafted from Zhinite, the Zenith equivalent of Lexonite. Their mission was simple: collect as much information as possible on Zenith's plans for the war with Lexicon and set off the bomb, killing all important officials and royalty, except for the queen, who was away on business. By doing this, they would be breaking all the rules of conventional warfare in the Andromenia Galaxy. By consent of all planets, no kingdom was allowed to use an Unspeakable, a mineral that could kill only people from a particular planet, such as Lexonite or Zhinite, in war. Also, they weren't permitted to maim or kill the reigning sovereign of a planet, only enslave the people. This ensured that the planet would not fully collapse and therefore prevent the destruction of their dimension. Becky wondered if she would have the guts to kill all those people. Gazing at the picture given to her by her mother to help identify the royals, she saw that the Royal Family of Zenith had an adorable baby girl named Elaine, not much older than Becky had been when she arrived on Earth. Peering into those innocent hazel eyes, she wondered if the young girl could sense that today would be the day she and her father died. Becky really hated this having to kill ordeal. Why couldn't someone else do it? Why did she have to be tortured with the responsibility of deciding who lived and who died? She didn't have that right, and yet she was forced to do it several times.

The ship touched down in a landing strip in Espero, the capital city. Thank heavens it was disguised as a Zenith ship, painted with their planetary emblem, a neon green triangle superimposed upon a purple sun. Becky, Adelina, and Tobey then proceeded to dress in the attire of the planet, a simple light green jumpsuit, remarkably similar to Becky's WordGirl costume. The outfit was supposedly flame, wind, and water resistant, designed to protect the wearer from any and all disasters. Much like how Becky had first examined her Lexiconian dress, she looked at al the aspects of her jumpsuit, trying to paint an image in her mind of what Planet Zenith would be like. Apparently, the planet was prone to disaster unlike Lexicon, where even the rain was controlled. Judging by how her outfit was identical to Adelina's and Tobey's, it was an orderly type of place with not much in the way of creativity.

Once everyone was suited up, Becky and the others waved goodbye to the pilot and disembarked, ready for their first view of Planet Zenith.

The entire city was straight out of those futuristic movies. Domed houses were made from indestructible laser lights in a variety of colors, bent and made solid by gravitational platforms set in the earth. People zoomed around the city, encased in a titanium steel suit of armor, which contoured to their bodies and gave them the ability to fly at the speed of a Lexiconian. They were sliding down a myriad of complex and tangled chutes hovering high over the city. Others simply walked on sidewalks built from titanium steel as well and designed in the shape of microchips. Huge holographic projections sprang up from various street corners, relaying a mess of data, numbers, and symbols at a dizzying rate, to fast for even Becky to comprehend. As they walked, she noticed that everything looked artificial, from their strange, robotic contraptions in almost every store display to their bizarre hair colors, ranging from deep amethyst to neon magenta, just like the baby girl in the picture. There seemed to be no trees or any other type of nature. The heliotrope sky was as clear as could be, with not a cloud in sight. Although Becky was resistant to extreme climate changes, she found Zenith to be quite chilly.

"As I'm sure you deduced, Planet Zenith is renown as the planet of technology," said Adelina, playing the role of tour guide. "They also have the most powerful and advanced military in our galaxy, about twice as large as Lexicon's."

Looking around, Tobey said thoughtfully, "Zenith looks so much different from Lexicon, yet you both have the ability to closely interact with each other. Wouldn't some of your customs be rubbed of here and vice versa?"

"Generally, all planets in the Andromenia Galaxy try to keep their cultures separate, not because of tradition but of planetary pride. It would be quite dull if all our traditions and beliefs merged together, and besides, our ways of life are closely tied to our planet. Since Lexicon is the planet of words, Lexiconian society generally revolves around literature and related matters. Typically, you would not find much in the way of art on our planet. The same holds true for Zenith."

"Do people on Zenith have the same superpowers as us?" asked Becky, noticing a few people shoot like a missile into the sky.

"Yes, with the exception of our superior vocabulary skills," replied Adelina smartly. "Every person on every planet in the Andromenia Galaxy has those basic powers: flying, super speed, and so forth. Then, there is one special power unique to each individual planet, such as a Lexiconian's ability to define every word in every language. People on Zenith have the ability to process dizzying amounts of data at lightning speed."

"So if everyone on Zenith has our powers," began Tobey. "then why are they wearing those suits to make them fly?"

"Depending on the distance from Asteria, our sun, different planets get their powers at varying times. Because Lexicon is one of the closest planets to Asteria, our powers develop at about one year of age. Zenith is much farther away, so their powers mature at about 60 Earth years, or 85 Zenith years."

"Is there anything else you know about Zenith?" asked Becky, curious about the planet.

"Not much, really. I do know that they've got a bad reputation for being spiteful and greedy. It's quite scary, actually. Sometimes, when they don't have their way, their skin turns all green and they grow at an alarming rate."

Becky and Tobey gasped with recognition. "Eileen!" they exclaimed in unison, remembering their bratty classmate from fifth grade. Becky had always wondered about her, and now she finally knew the origin of her powers.

Eventually, the three Lexiconians made their way to the palace. It was a dazzling sky blue, with several pointed, jagged spires. It was decorated with a kaleidoscope of geometric lines and shapes, forming a series of unintelligible designs and patterns. It lacked the elegance of Planet Lexicon's palace but was formidable none of the less. The entire building shimmered a faint red, as if an unnatural haze encompassed it.

"They've also got top-notch security systems," explained Adelina. "Every door is protected by a laser scanner. It processes the molecular essence of anything or anyone that goes through, which is then sent to a center control room. The scanner will be able to determine our genetic makeup, which means it'll know we're Lexiconian the second we walk through the door. That probably won't set off many alarms, but the Zhinite definitely will."

"Then how are we supposed to get in?" asked Tobey.

"That's where Alexandria comes in. Do you think you can use the Light of Hope to somehow disable the laser lights long enough for us to get in?"

"I'll try," replied Becky nervously, uncertain of her abilities. After looking about to make sure no one was watching, she stepped up to the impenetrable door, she closed her eyes in concentration, summoning up her power. That awe-inspiring ball of light awoke in her heart, surrounding Becky in a soft, warm glow. The Light of Hope crackled like electricity in her veins, filling her with power that was yearning to be released. Following her instinct, she raised her hands until they were less than a centimeter away from the force field. Then slowly, focusing her powers in a way she had never attempted before, she absorbed the laser's essence, the hazy red light mingling with the Light of Hope's radiance and entered her body. From there, Becky fixated all her being upon breaking down the laser's molecular essence, each atom imploding under her will. The light burned brighter as she controlled it with more precision and intensity than ever before. Finally, the laser light dissipated, leaving the doorway wide open.

With a nod of approval, Adelina led the way inside, keeping a hand on the hilt of her dagger at all times. Then came Tobey, grasping his sword like a lifeline. Finally, Becky entered, wielding nothing but a burning hot ball of light.

The interior of the palace reminded Becky of a morbid cross between a giant disco ball and a doctor's waiting room. The walls were coated with a dazzling silver sparkle from floor to ceiling. In stark contrast, perfectly normal fake potted plants in ornate vases lined the halls, not matching the decor at all. Fortunately, there were no guards patrolling in that area, but there would be soon. The trio cautiously sneaked through the corridors, awfully disconcerted when they came across no security.

"This is far too easy," whispered Adelina apprehensively.

"Do you think they know we're here, and they're setting a trap?" asked Tobey.

"I have no clue," replied Becky. "I'm just as confused as you two."

That confusion ended when Becky felt a chilling cold blade pressed against her neck.

* * *

**So that's my unoriginal Planet Zenith. I just had to slip in some random Birthday Girl origin in there. At first, I was going to do Victoria, but I thought Eileen was more suitable. Hey, if WordGirl could crash land here, then so could Eileen. As for her obsession with birthdays, I'm going for the spoiled brat angle. And as for the end, you'll just have to wait!**

**Love to all,**

**Bella**


	4. Ill Timed Mercy

**Hi everyone! Me again! So yes, another terribly short chapter, but I promise next chapter will be the beginning of the good stuff.**

**Random quote:  
"Too big. Too small. Too hot. Too cold. Too many rings–" Holy crow, that's Lexicon!  
–Miss Power, "The Rise of Miss Power: Part 1"**

**Disclaimer: If I did own WordGirl, I would ditch all the other PBS shows and just have an all-day WordGirl marathon... then probably get fired. :D**

* * *

Becky, along with Tobey and Adelina, had her eyes wide with fear, hardly daring to breathe. She filled her lungs with air, ready to scream, when a firm, callous hand covered her mouth.

"Don't scream, Becky," her captor quietly scolded. "Do you want the entire planet to know you're here?"

Becky gasped, nearly jumping out of her skin at the sound of that voice, a voice she would know anywhere. "Huggy?" she breathed, hardly daring to believe it. When the blade was removed, Becky whipped around to see her former monkey sidekick, in his human form and sporting his normal tuxedo and cape.

"Long time, no see, Becky," Huggy said lightheartedly.

"What was that for?" Becky cried hysterically, pointing at the sword, which had been pressed to her neck.

"I couldn't have you attacking me before I got a chance to explain myself," he replied as if it were the most natural concept in the world.

"Where have you been?" she demanded, crying tears of joy at seeing her sorely missed partner.

He tensed up at her question. "That is irrelevant at the moment. All that matters is that I'm here, and I'm ready to help. I've, err, _disabled _all the security guards and scanners, discreetly, of course. If you're looking for the Royal Family's private quarters, follow me."

Putting her hands on her hips, Adelina blocked his way. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"You don't," he replied simply. "If you don't wish to trust me, feel free to wander cluelessly around the palace until you're caught and killed."

Adelina considered the situation for a moment; then finally, she reluctantly allowed him to bypass her.

Becky was still brimming with questions. "What are you doing here?" she asked as Huggy led them through the labyrinth of hallways.

"I'm here to help you," he replied vaguely, his face betraying no emotion. Becky's heart resounded with a twinge of pain. The Huggy she had known, or thought she'd known, was far different from the man who stood before her. What had happened to him these past four years? Would Becky ever be able to penetrate those indestructible barriers around his heart?

"Here's the office," he said, gesturing to a room at the end of the hall. "I'll stand guard outside while you search."

Taking up the initiative, the Lexiconians burst into the room and immediately searched through the king's desk. There were no papers; everything was kept on an encrypted hard drive. Ordering them to step aside, Huggy inserted the hard drive into the laptop. A jumble of disorderly numbers and symbols appeared along with a tiny box requesting an eight-digit code. Huggy typed in the correct code, causing a series of files to show up on the screen. Ignoring the questioning looks from the trio, he said: "All the files are listed in chronological order. If someone from Zenith ordered for Queen Islanzadi to be killed, it would have been made in the past lunar cycle, when Becky's coronation was first scheduled."

Becky nodded and proceeded to flipping through files while Huggy patrolled the hallway for stray security guards. After several tense moments of searching, expecting an ambush any second. Finally, she found something that appeared relevant.

"Listen to this," she whispered hurriedly. "From the seventh lunar phase of Celestia's reign in the 9084th Aster, a few days before my coronation. Reports state that a large quantity of Lexonite was mined and shipped to Zenith to be used for–"

Becky trailed off as the door broke down, releasing a swarm of armed security guards, led by none other than that weasel of a traitor, Huggy. _He betrayed me once again, _thought Becky in anguish, for she had naively thought that Huggy had turned over a new leaf, that he truly felt some friendship for her. But now was no time for grief, not with their current predicament.

"There they are, Captian," stated Huggy, gesturing to the Lexiconians. "The Princess of Lexicon and her two accomplices."

"Well done, Damien," the leader replied. "Back away from the laptop!" he ordered.

Confused, Becky looked to Tobey and Adelina for guidance. Adelina drew her dagger and stood her ground, putting the others protectively behind her. "Just make us!" she replied defiantly, raring for a fight.

Not wanting to resort to needless violence, the captain of the palace guard pulled out a chunk of Lexonite, causing both Becky and Adelina to collapse in pain, unable to move, the world becoming a blur of torture and dizziness. However, Tobey had expected it and had moved away from the meteor rock's range. Before security had the opportunity to surround him, he snatched up the fallen sack of Zhinite and without any hesitation, he pulled out the deadly mineral. Instantly, every Zenithian keeled over under its negative effect. Amidst the agony and chaos, Huggy, who was affected by neither element, slipped from the room unseen.

Tobey and the head of the palace guard were locked in a stalemate, neither willing to release their grip on the deadly rocks. Finally, seeing as it was their only option, Tobey smashed the Zhinite, setting off the bomb. The walls of the castle shook, sending objects flying haphazardly through the room. A purple, sulfuric powder filled the air, causing the guards to choke, gasping for breath, blood leaking from their mouths.

"The bomb detonates in 60 seconds!" shouted Tobey above the ruckus. "If you want to live, you sure as hell better want to put that down now!" The guard's eyes blazed, torn between his duty and his life.

"45 seconds!" Tobey screamed like a maniac. "It's not going to slow down any time soon, so put away the Lexonite if you don't want to be sent home in a pile of spacedust!"

That swung the bat. The guard tucked the Lexonite back in his pocket, allowing Tobey to super speed the group to safety. The roof began to collapse as the quaking grew more and more violent. Tobey made his way through the falling debris back to Becky and Adelina.

"We've only got ten seconds!" he yelled, coughing from the smoke as a small fire broke out at the end of the hall. "We've got to go, now!"

The girls were about to fly through a hole in the ceiling when Becky saw baby Princess Elaine tottering confused out of the opposite room. Seeing the poor little girl and knowing she was about to die tore at Becky's heart. Losing all sense of reason, ignoring the cries telling her to turn back, she charged forward, her only goal being to save Elaine's life.

Then the bomb exploded.

* * *

**Well, that was quite straightforward, wasn't it? Prepare for Chapter 5, the beginning of the relationship drama!**

**I bet you know the drill by now. Drop me a line or two and tell me what you think.**

**Love to all, **

**Bella**


	5. Goodbye

**Didn't expect to hear from me so soon, right? Well, it's amazing what a homework-free afternoon can do to a person. I'm now three chapters ahead, which means I'll be updating daily from now on! Hopefully this'll help happydreamer get out of bed on time. :D In this chapter... you'll hate me, you'll all hate me.**

**Somewhat relevant quote (Meh, not really, but whatever.):  
"I have to hand it to you, WordGirl, you were right about me. I hadn't changed into a no-good do-gooder! It doesn't pay to be nice! After all, try to be nice - not destroy things - and look at what happens! You end up losing to an egg-slicer!" "It also cores apples." (I know I quoted this already, but it's so funny!)  
–Tobey and WordGirl, "Tobey Goes Good"**

**Song:  
Becky: Haunted by Taylor Swift (Honestly, there's a Taylor Swift song for everything!)**

**Disclaimer: If I owned WordGirl, the franchise would crush Mr. Big Industries. (What does that company even ****_do? _****Oh right, it keeps our 'polly wally doodle' rates from going through the roof. :D)**

* * *

"You were an idiot, Becky!" screamed Tobey hysterically. "An absolute idiot! You could've _died, _all because you wanted to save a baby girl?"

Becky glared at her boyfriend from her hospital bed. Fortunately, since the bomb was only made of Zhinite, most of it had no effect on Becky; the only damage was from the impact and the crash into the wall. However, not all were that lucky. The king and five important generals had all perished in the blast. Princess Elaine had been spared thanks to Becky shielding the baby with her body and was now in critical condition.

"Well I'm so sorry that I wanted to save an innocent life!" Becky snapped, unable to put up with Tobey's behavior. "Honestly, I just died today, and already you're reprimanding me?"

"I'm not reprimanding you; I'm just looking out for you!"

"You've got a funny way of showing it."

"I don't need to put up with this, Becky!"

"Neither do I! What the hell is your problem?"

The couple glared daggers at each other, hatred in its purest form burning in their eyes, kindling an inevitable fight. Trembling with rage, Tobey raised his hand and brought it slamming down with the force of a crashing car upon Becky's cheek.

The slap burned white hot, proving once and for all that all of Becky's naive patience, dreams, and yearning was in vain: he could never come back. Glistening tears fringed Becky's lashes as she didn't even try to hide her sorrow. She didn't weep from the blow, but from knowing that Tobey had finally gone off the edge, left her to a place from upon entry, he could never return. Anguish replaced fury as Becky turned back to Tobey, displaying the raw red imprint of his hand disfiguring her face. Realizing his irrevocable mistake, he stumbled backwards, stunned, by the mark or Becky's expression, she couldn't tell.

"Go, Tobey. Just go," she said, mist clouding her vision as she gazed at the monster her beloved soul mate had become.

Tobey stepped forward, opening his mouth in what Becky fantasized as an apology, even though it wouldn't have done him any good if the words came out.

"Go, Tobey," she repeated. "Go!"

The look in Becky's eyes stated very clearly that what they once had had been permanently destroyed, never to be rebuilt. He had gone too far, left too many times, many too many mistakes.

And this is where it ended.

Turning his back on their love, Tobey walked out the door, taking with him the light in Becky's eyes.

* * *

Becky didn't know how long she lay in bed, waiting for the old Tobey to come running through the door, back to her. It could have been minutes, hours, or sorrow-filled days; time was irrelevant now. Everything was. The only thought that punctuated her fortress of depression swirling around her mind was that Tobey had left, even though the actual reality was that Tobey had left her long ago; Becky had just been too blind to see it. The painful truth was that both of them had been reduced to half-heartedly attempting to breathe life into a fire that had been dead for years, a fire that was probably never meant to be in the first place. Maybe Tobey used to love her, and maybe he didn't. It didn't matter, not now, not when he had left. Now that Tobey had gone, what remained? How did you go on living when your heart had been reduced to an empty shell? Why was she living at all, when life was such a hardship? Wouldn't it be easier to just end it now? Sure, she wouldn't be able to love, but she wouldn't feel sorrow, either. In the void of death, she wouldn't feel anything. There would be no pain, no sadness, no regret for what she had done. She would simply cease to exist. Still, Becky knew perfectly well she wouldn't do that. There would be too many innocent people who would suffer because of it. So with death now out of the questions, Becky could not conjure up any means of escape from the endless hell her mind had become. All she could do was stare blankly at the wall for hours on end, only thinking about how Tobey was gone. Gone. The word kept repeating in her mind, driving her insane. Gone was Tobey's school-boy crush. Gone were his evil, destructive robot-building tendencies to lure her in and show her his infatuation. Gone were the smiles, the tiny displays of affection that kept her spirits high as she went through her day. Gone was the gentle brush of his lips pressed to hers, the all-consuming tingling sensation that singed in her veins when they touched. And most of all, gone was the promise that no matter what, he would always be there for her. Tobey was gone, just like everyone else she had ever cared for. Her family and friends were in another galaxy, Andrew was dead, Huggy had betrayed her, and now Tobey had left as well. And each time, they always took something from her, whether it be comfort, or trust, or even love itself, leaving her falling to her knees with sorrow. Becky was able to withstand crashing buildings and robot attacks without so much as a scratch, but what use was that to a foolish, naïve heart? Becky had truly loved him, so why had he left?

The answer came readily to her lips as if she had always known, and probably had: Tobey never loved her. He felt many things towards her: hate, envy, adoration, obsession, but it was never love. It had only felt that way. That's why he had been able to walk away from everything, from her, for the simple reason that it had never mattered. She never mattered. She never would. She knew that now.

Becky lay in the infirmary for hours, not crying, for the grief she was experiencing was beyond anything simple tears could relive. Though her heart was beating, she might as well have been dead. She was dead inside, anyway. Everything and everyone she had ever loved was gone, leaving her floating alone in a dark, frozen abyss of solitude and despair that was her soul. Maybe this was what hell felt like, for no torture could ever match this all-consuming agony, an agony that would never end. Becky would carry this burden for all time, never fixed, never healed, for centuries on end until it ultimately killed her. It would never get better, she knew, but she had to learn to put it all behind, to let it go and carry on with life. The very idea was daunting, but one thing was for sure, Becky would never give Tobey the satisfaction of knowing he had broken her so easily.

Summoning all of her strength, Becky broke free from the noose of despair that clouded her mind and got out of bed, wanting to find Tobey. Wandering through the gargantuan palace (did it really have to be this huge?), she peeked through every door in search of the one who had taken her heart, determined to take it back. As she opened the final door at the end of the hall, Becky knew somewhere in the depths of her mind – not her heart, for that was no longer hers – that he was there. Still, she needed to see his face, needed to have an explanation, something, anything that would make this pain easier. When she swung open the door, it revealed the final nail to the coffin, everlasting proof for all time that Tobey never had and never would love her.

Tobey was kissing Adelina.

* * *

**In case you didn't piece it together, they broke up! I know you all (and lightball34 especially) are thinking about how Tobey is such a jerk. Well, I agree with you, but instead of screaming your head off and scaring the neighbors, why don't you drop me a review instead? Hopefully, Chapter 6 will help redeem him in your eyes, but probably not. Oh well, at least Adelina seems happy!**

**Love to all,**

**Bella**


	6. Suffering Souls

**Greetings! I'm making up for all those short chapters with a giant one. Get comfy, folks.**

**Okay, this chapter mainly revolves around Tobey, but there is a little of Becky POV at the end. Hopefully, Tobey will be somewhat redeemed... yeah, probably not.**

**Random quote:  
"I think my mother is trying on the whole store!" "Yours too, huh? My mom once spent four hours trying on jeans. Ask me how many pairs she bought." "How many?" "NONE!" "Maddning. Absolutly maddning...Wait a minute. Are we...?" "Uh, so are you gonna blow something up or what?" (Adorable! Simply adorable!)  
–Tobey and WordGirl, "Department Store Tobey"**

******Song:  
Adelina: Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne (If you don't like swearing, I recommend the Lil' Mama version.)**

**Disclaimer: I wish I did, I wish I did, I wish I did... but I don't.**

* * *

Looking back on that scene, Tobey didn't really know how he felt anymore. Becky was so confusing, a delectable puzzle he had formerly taken joy in solving but now filled him with the utmost frustrate. They were always at odds with each other, lacking the harmony of those earlier years of carefree innocence, unperturbed by the pains of adolescence. He really, truly loved Becky, but there was something inside him, a monster, that kept his love hidden and replaced it with vehemence. It would rise up at the most random intervals, warping his mind and planting a seed of hatred in his heart. The worst part was that this was a foe that not even Becky could defeat, for the villain was himself. Maybe it was his heart's way of telling him that he didn't belong with Becky. It was probably right. How could someone of Tobey's insecurity and imperfection possibly be deserving of the radiance of Becky's endless love? She was good; he was evil, and nothing the two of them could do could change that. Today had been proof of that. He had hit, actually hit Becky! Even the mere memory of it made him want to collapse and cry until his tears washed him away to a world without pain.

Times like this made Tobey miss his parents, or at least the parents he used to know. There was once a time, far back in his earliest memories, where his mother would place him on her lap at bedtime and sing beautiful lullabies. She had such a delicate, soothing voice when presented with the wonder of melody. Then, his father, worn out from a hard day's work at the doctor's office, would light up with joy at the sight of the family he dearly loved. He would brush his unkempt, sandy blond out of his eyes, take her hands, and join in song, his strong, sonorous tones blending in perfect harmony. When the song ended, Tobey, who was just a baby at the time, would be lulled to sleep, comforted with the knowledge that there would always be a set of comforting arms to run to and a set of parents who would always love him.

That perfect state of security began to fade when he was five, and reality reared its ugly head. When Theodore McCallister II was let go due to budget cuts, the family spiraled into recession. Mrs. McCallister had to take up a job at the District Attorney's office while her husband went to countless job interviews, hoping for another job, with Tobey often being tossed carelessly to countless babysitters, many who were unqualified for the position. Tobey had taken this as a sign that his parents no longer loved him, and his behavior reflected that ideal. He had difficulty socializing, fearing that they would leave him in the end as well. As a result, Tobey had often turned to mischief to occupy his time. Whenever a report came from school about his unsatisfactory conduct, his mother scolded him for hours on end, with Tobey believing that he had somehow finally earned back his mother's attention, and therefore her love.

Meanwhile, his father, who had long given up on finding employment, unfortunately turned to alcohol as a way to drown the feeling that he had failed the ones he loved. When his addiction didn't stop, it severed the tie between his wife, making them more withdrawn and distant with each, and Tobey suffered as a result. Oftentimes, the drunkard would return home under the influence and abuse Tobey's mother, her screams ringing loud and clear through the piled up toys Tobey had put as a barricade to his room. Trembling, he would hide out in fear for hours on end, praying for the screaming to be replaced with the sweet lullabies he missed so much. They never did. Finally, on Tobey's sixth birthday, all the stress and frustration caused the McCallisters to snap. When Claire found Theodore taking a drink on the porch while her son was unwrapping his new robot-making kit, she told him to get out, to leave and never look back. He didn't even hesitate. Bringing nothing with him, Theodore McCallister took the family's old station wagon and left everything: his home, his wife, and his beloved Tobey. Just before he pulled out of the driveway and his former life, he said, "Maybe I'm not the only one who needs help, Claire." Then he vanished without a trace and never returned. Only when Becky was poisoned by Pravunite would Tobey learn that his father had died that very night in a brutal car crash. As the younger Tobey saw his father leave from the living room window, he somehow knew that it would be for the last time. Clutching the robot-building kit given to him by his father, Tobey somehow connected the gift, his last tie to his father, as a way of getting him back. He began to construct robots, rapidly advancing from useless little toys to the full-grown, havoc–wrecking machines of today, although they weren't used for violence until he was ten. Tobey would spend every hour of his free time on the project, often working until late at night, burying his grief in his work, hoping that every microchip he put in place would be a step closer to bringing his father back.

Claire McCallister seemed to be taking a similar approach. She worked vigorously at the D.A.'s office, becoming one of the best attorneys in Fair City. She didn't spend much time at home with her son, maybe because the sight of him reminded her too much of the husband she had lost. Often, Tobey would see a hint of pain behind his mother's eyes whenever she saw him, taking this as a sign that she was unsatisfied or angry with him instead of one of a heart-broken woman in grief. Determined that her son would not become like his father, Claire punished him most harshly, hoping that if she could set Tobey straight at a young age that he would be less likely to resort to drugs and alcohol in later years. So it was that Tobey immersed himself in robots and his mother in work, neither speaking unless it was an argument. Slowly but surely, the gap between parent and offspring grew so wide that they were like strangers. Then, at ten years old, a child desperately yearning for so needed affection and attention finally found his salvation.

WordGirl, the superhero of Fair City. From the minute he saw her on TV, smiling and waving to the cameras, he heart was won, awakening strange feelings that had been buried for so long. She was so confident, so beautiful, so intelligent and witty, how could he not fall for her? It felt like his mother's lullaby had sprung to life at the very sight of her. Tobey desperately wanted to know her, to somehow gain her attention, something he had long-assumed was love. And what better way to do that than show off his amazing robot-building abilities? Taking his finest robot, the boy genius ventured downtown. People ran amok, screaming, when Tobey's robot came near in spite of the fact that he had taken great pains to avoid crushing any people underfoot. When he had finally located the glamorous super heroine, he showed off his creation, expecting the highest praise. WordGirl smiled politely at the boy and complimented his work, expressing that she was astounded that someone of his age could put together such a masterpiece. Tobey beamed, gulping down that desired congratulations, something that should've come from his mother but instead came from this wondrous girl. Surely, that meant she loved him, right? Wrong. Not wanting to appear rude, the hero kindly told him that she had to be on her way, and with one final wave to the adoring crowd below, she shot off into the sky in a golden blur, unknowingly carrying away a boy's heart.

As WordGirl left, Tobey experienced an emotion he was well used to: abandonment. Yet another person had turned their back on him, concreting the belief that he was unlovable, a horrid creature to be avoided and despised. But why? What had he done to deserve such treatment? Tobey began to journey home and sink, crying, into a corner like usual when a new emotion came over him: determination. He wasn't going to back down and cry, for clearly that wasn't doing anything. Maybe he had to prove himself, show that he was deserving of her love. How could he? If he went about doing good deeds, would she notice? Probably not; after all, there were millions of people in Fair City, making it impossible to stand out. So how did other people do it? Who were the people WordGirl paid attention to the most? Then he figured it out: the villains. She was with villains for hours on end every day! If he became a villain, surely she'd get to know him and fall in love, because if he loved her, then by the rules of the universe, she would love him. It was in every romance novel, so how could it be wrong? She might be annoyed at first, but that could easily change. Still, he had never committed a crime; his mother had always strictly forbade him from doing anything of the sort. But if his mother didn't love him, why should he listen to her? Besides, he wouldn't cause any major trouble, just enough for WordGirl to notice him.

And so, his reign of evil and destruction came to be for almost two years. Tobey reveled in the idea of finally being the one in control, to decide who lived and who died, a choice he sadly lacked in the case of his father. Intimidation gave him power, and for someone who had spent all his life relying on others only to become abandoned, this was a wonderful experience. But his years of gloriousness were doused by one thing: WordGirl still didn't love him, and Tobey was at a loss to know why. He complimented her, proved his remarkable intelligence, and had even defeated her on occasion, so why was she so infatuated with someone else, a mere reporter boy? Then, that trip to Lexicon had finally allowed him to see the light, and her as well. Then finally everything connected and fell into place, like it was meant to be. Even his mother, who had just wrapped up on a five-hour rant about the irresponsibility of travelling to another planet all alone, agreed. Whenever he was with her, it was like gazing into the sun, perfect and glorious. And for four years, she had continued to shower him with the gift of her never-ending love, a gift that he had thrown away without a second glance! The love he had so often yearned for, the love that filled the gaps in his heart from where people had left him, the love he never had and never would deserve, was gone, all because of him. All because he didn't appreciate Becky and treat her like the angel she was. Becky was so wonderful, so perfect, so _good, _that it brought tears to Tobey's eyes whenever he compared her marvelous radiance to his glaring faults and imperfections.

And then there was Adelina. Tobey didn't know how it happened, even though he could remember every moment with prefect clarity.

_"Honestly, how is she supposed to save her planet if she keeps throwing herself into reckless, unnecessary danger like that!" he thought, fuming. "She should use her head once in a while; is that too much to ask?" Still, he regretted hitting her. That was going way too far. And her face, it was the face of loss, the face he wore when he saw his father leave for the last time before he died. And maybe in a way it was. Only now in retrospect had he been able to see the stark contrast between the boy he had been and the young man he had now become. Was he proud of it? In some aspects, yes. He knew he had some faults, though, but didn't everyone? Sure, maybe he lost his temper with Becky more than before, but that was too expected when putting up with such a stubborn, bullheaded girlfriend. It wasn't like he was God! Becky had no right in expecting everyone to live up to her self-righteous standards! _

_Just then, Adelina, who had been peering through a crack in the door moments before, stepped in front of Tobey timidly, looking much more like the young, innocent girl from when they had first met._

_"Hi, Tobey," she said, blushing like she so often did when he was in her company of late. "Can I talk to you?" She ushered him into the room._

_Ending the stream of bitter ranting and injustice in his head, Tobey gave his full attention to Adelina, wondering what could possibly be on her mind. The girl was so spacey ever since Andrew died, and Tobey occasionally wondered if she required a psychiatrist. In fact, many times he had volunteered for the job himself, concerned for her sanity. This had formed a permanent bond between them, a bond that both had only viewed as friendship. However, the way Adelina was looking at him suggested all that was about to change._

_"Okay, I know I'm not good at this, and I know you really like Alexandria, but I just have to say it," she blurted out, twisting her hair in a way that in spite of himself, Tobey found adorable. "I really like you, Tobey!" Then she covered her mouth with her hands and stepped back in shock, appalled by what she had said. She opened her mouth in an attempt to apologize, but no words would come. When she finally stopping impersonating a fish, she hung her head in shame, mortified. Adelina began to softly cry, a habit that was not uncommon for her, hiding her face with her long golden hair, letting her salty tears drip onto the priceless marble floors._

_Surprisingly, Tobey wasn't angered at her declaration of love. On the contrary, he was quite flattered that Adelina liked him at all. Gazing into those crystal clear blue eyes, Tobey felt a hesitant spark flicker to life inside him, a light that while had once burned bright for another girl, had been dead and buried for years. Gently, he wiped away her tears, trying to communicate without words that everything was all right. In way, he understood how she was feeling. After Andrew died, she must've been so confused, so alone in the world, desperate for love. _

_Adelina tilted her face to meet his, and for the first time in four years, the shadows cleared from her eyes, letting them once again sparkle with their full radiance. Tobey stumbled backwards, stunned by her beauty and hopefulness. Adelina seemed to be glowing from within, barely concealing her joy at Tobey's response. She was a suffering goddess who had finally been relieved of her pain. Unconsciously, she widened the gap between her lips, making it perfectly obvious what she was thinking of. Almost without thinking, Tobey pulled her closer, trapping her in his arms. The two were harmonious in their suffering, willing to do anything for release. Tobey breathed in the sweet scent of lavender and roses, admiring the way the sun glinted off her hair, the two dazzling azure orbs in her eyes that burned with such intense passion, holding him captivated. That passion was reflected in Tobey's heart, not reaching its full potential, but in light of his heart-wrenching agony, it was more than enough for him. He cupped her face in his hands and leaned downwards, knowing exactly what he wanted. _

_When their lips met, it was like an explosion of desire in his mouth. Tobey's mouth filled with the taste of sunshine, leaving him yearning for more. Their bodies moved in perfect harmony, with both kissing with such an urgency it was like the very world would crumble if they broke away. Tobey was filled with an all-consuming passion that he hadn't felt in years, and when Adelina reached for the top buttons on his shirt, he knew that this could have quite an unprecedented ending if he didn't stop._

_He was just about to let her have her way when all the warmth instantly drained as the door opened to reveal none other than Becky, horrified. As if they were two opposing magnets, Tobey and Adelina sprang apart, guilty as two children who were caught with their hands in the cookie jar._

_Becky didn't look mad; rather, it was like all the energy had been sucked from her body, leaving her empty and lifeless. Not even bothering to hide it, Becky let the tears flow freely down her cheeks, making her look as fragile as a china doll._

_Adelina and Tobey looked at each other, and then at the girl who was dying inside because of them: What have we done?_

_Neither even tried to apologize, for they knew nothing they could say would put a dent in the relentless torment of despair she was drowning in, a deluge they had experienced as well. _

_"I guess I don't have to bother breaking up with you, then," whispered Becky, her voice shaking uncontrollably. Tobey wanted to scream it wasn't true, to beg for her forgiveness, but hopelessness kept him rooted to the ground. Could this horrid mess ever be made right again? Tobey bated his breath, waiting for the heavens to erase all the pain and give them the fairytale ending destiny had promised them._

_It never came. As Becky turned to go, Tobey caught one last glimpse of the girl he loved but could never love again. Her eyes were dull with sorrow, shadows obscuring the windows to the soul. Then, he realized why._

_Tobey had just died in her heart._

* * *

It was amazing how clear the world became without love blinding it, Becky thought. Even more surprising was the fact that she wasn't angry at Tobey or Adelina. Becky had been able to sense some subtle, harbored affection for Tobey radiating from her, yet Adelina had always managed to suppress it to spare Becky's feelings. She respected that true love was almost impossible to push away, so she accepted Adelina's decision without the slightest resentment or ill grace, pleased that she had found happiness after so long. And sure, Tobey didn't love her, but then what was so special about love in the first place? Millions of people never found it, and they were perfectly fine. You didn't need love to survive. Love made you trust, made you lose perspective, made you vulnerable, and with this upcoming war, Becky couldn't afford any of those weaknesses. She was much better off without Tobey. She didn't need him. She didn't need anyone. Becky had become an island unto herself, and yet she reveled in her loneliness. She would forever be blocked from the world, from the possibility of love, for the one whom she had truly loved had been dead and buried for four years. Until she herself joined him underneath the earth, she would never experience true happiness, so what was the point in trying? Her main objective in life should now be ensuring the possibility of happiness for her people.

Becky adorned her formal turquoise gown and sparkling crystalline diadem, preparing to meet with the High Council and her mother for a status report on the war. She had to push aside her grief, lest it overpower her, and she refused to let Tobey have that kind of control over her. She wouldn't surrender to emotion or love; rather, she would manipulate those feelings to serve reasoning. That was all she could do now.

Mentally preparing herself, Becky focused her thoughts on her kingdom, and with the grace and authority of a true princess, she entered the Grand Hall, letting Becky Botsford and WordGirl take backseat to Princess Alexandria.

"Alexa, thank Asteria you're here," Miss Power said in relief, abandoning her customary formal etiquette in front of the council. She pulled her daughter into a tight embrace, with Becky sensing an obvious, unneeded concern.

"Mother, what's happened?" Becky asked worriedly. "I've been safe in the palace this whole time; there's no need to be frantic."

"She doesn't know, My Queen," stated a duke.

"Alexa, darling, we've received word from one of our spies on Zenith. They know the attack in their palace was because of us, implying that our advantage of surprise is now gone, and now they've got the motivation of vengeance in their favor. There's no possibility of us beating Zenith now."

Becky gasped in alarm from this unfortunate turn of events. "Does that mean they're headed for Lexicon?"

Miss Power eyes were brimming with tears. "I'm afraid that instead of exacting their fury on us, they're settling their score with you, Alexandria. Zenith's entire military force is heading towards Earth."

The entire world began to whirl ferociously around Becky. "Earth?" she breathed, unable to believe it. She thought of her friends, her family, and her city. If Lexicon's military was intimidated by Planet Zenith, then Earth didn't stand a chance. The entire planet would be eradicated in a matter of hours.

"And there's more," continued Lady Esmeralda emotionlessly, the mean-spirited woman who was Andrew's mother and part of Iustitia.

"Tobey's been kidnapped."

* * *

**Okay, so there was Tobey's 'origin story' as we'll say. Hey, it's plausible. **

**Looking back, I think I might have actually heightened your rage for Tobey. In your mind, feel free to replace Adelina's name with Becky's if that makes you feel better. **

**I know, a MILLION people have done the whole 'taking over the Earth' cliche, but trust me, it'll be different.**

**Will Tobey and Planet Earth be saved? Find out in Chapter 7 of Angel's Sacrifice!**

**Love to all,**

**Bella**


	7. Caught Between Worlds

**Happy weekend! So in this chapter, noting much happens except for at the end. The way I ended up writing this story (and yes, I'm almost finished, I'm on Chapter 10 currently) is that this chapter and the next (which possibly may combine) are not that exciting, the the action builds in Chapter 9, 10 is a cliffhanger, and most of the action is packed into Chapter 11. That's were we're going with this, folks.**

**In other words, for my possible 5th and final Radiance book (depending on if I have a sad or happy ending), I need help with a title. Right now, I'm thinking of Ashes of a New Horizon, Shining Horizon, Rising from the Ashes, Rising Dawn, and many others I'v long forgotten; I'll add them in if I remember. Please tell me what you think in the reviews, and feel free to suggest a different title. The theme of the book will be rising up from the sadness of the past to a new, brighter future. **

**Random quote:  
"Something is fishy..." *man with a fish stand appears* "Ugh, does everything have to be taken so literally around here!?"  
–WordGirl "Villain School" **

**Disclaimer: A girl can dream!**

* * *

_So much for rejecting emotion, _Becky thought to herself as she suited up for battle, seeing her adopted planet hurtling toward her as she fidgeted in her seat, her battle instincts kicking in. She was nervous about the war with Zenith but more importantly Tobey. What unimaginable tortures were been inflicted upon him? Becky felt queasy just thinking about it. Were they questioning him for information about the intricacies of Lexicon? About her? Would Tobey betray her one last time and spill all those secrets without any hesitation? Becky knew he wouldn't, if not for her then for Adelina. Glancing to the side at her comrade, she saw Adelina was bowing her head in silence, waiting for the verbal abuse to commence. Her long glossy hair was shielding her face, which meant she was fighting to hold back tears.

"I know I shouldn't done it," she began timidly, pulling herself together.

"I understand," Becky replied in the utmost sincerity. "I'm glad you did. You showed that Tobey and I didn't belong together, and you finally healed the pain in your heart."

Adelina nodded, tucking back her hair to reveal her eyes that while glistening with tears, were shinning with a radiance Becky had missed for so long, a radiance that Becky now sorely lacked. But now wasn't a time for lamentation and self-pity. Now was a time to stand tall and console others, even if it hurt. Billions of people were relying on her, and Becky couldn't afford to let them down.

"I'm just so scared, Alexandria," said Adelina. "I don't even know how it happened! One minute, he's with me, and ten minutes later he's nowhere to be found with only a letter of ransom in his place. Who knows what they could want with him! Will he be all right?"

"He has to be," she replied with a burning determination. The moment she had discovered Tobey's kidnapping – so much for the most secure building on Lexicon – Becky realized that she truly did love Tobey, even if he didn't love her back. Love wasn't something that just went away. Love didn't turn on and off like a light bulb. That was only when the couple was too blind to see it. Love was anger, love was misunderstanding, love was sacrifice, love was sorrow, and love was even hate. But most of all, love was staying together in spite of all of that or anything the universe threw at them. Love was being devoted to someone for all eternity, no matter what the cost. Maybe Tobey hadn't felt that way, but she sure did. Ironically, this is what Tobey must've been going through all those times when Becky harshly rejected him. How she regretted it now. Becky still couldn't shake the inexplicable feeling that all of this was her fault, and she was willing to do anything to make it right.

Becky gazed thoughtfully at Adelina. They really did love each other. Maybe… maybe if Becky truly loved Tobey, she would let him go. It would only hurt him to keep him selfishly to herself, not when he loved someone else.

"Thank you for understanding," Adelina whispered, united through friendship and strengthened through pain.

"Of course." Becky let her friend cry on her shoulder, comforting her not with words but with the fact that someone understood her sorrow.

"You're wrong, you know," Adelina whispered softly, with a hint of sadness, and it didn't take a genius to know what she meant.

Becky saw Planet Earth, her home, her real home, coming closer and closer. Whatever dangers lay ahead, she used to take comfort in the naïve belief that love could steer her through it all unscathed. Without that assurance of love, did she have what it was necessary to prevail?

"I hope so, Adelina."

* * *

Honestly, it was quite hilarious to see the noblest and most proper lords and ladies of Lexicon going completely berserk over commonplace things like a lamppost. Some were amazed, and some were disgusted, but all were spellbound by Planet Earth's novelties. Losing their uptight formalities, they ran amok with a child-like curiosity, with Lord Alaric practically dragging Becky over to explain a parking meter and with Lady Esmeralda complaining about the rain throughout their entire trek through Fair City, attracting more than a few wary glances from the citizens. Becky was amused by the Lexiconian's questions and wondered if she had behaved in this manner when she first arrived on Lexicon.

"With all of Lexicon's knowledge, wouldn't you have broader access to Earth's culture?" she inquired.

"Well, Earth is a rare case in our dimension," said Lord Alaric. "It's a special, unique planet. It's the only place that is not only completely disconnected to the rest of the dimension, but is also the only known realm to not inherit any of our special abilities. No one knows for sure, although many philosophers have come up with plausible explanations for this paradox, but in order to keep Earth in equilibrium, no planet is allowed to have direct contact with it unless in emergencies such as this. I wish the rules were more lenient, however. I can't believe you never told me how fascinating Earth is, Alexandria. It's one thing to study a planet but quite another to actually experience it firsthand. Say, what in the name of Asteria is that man doing, slipping strange pieces of paper into strangers' homes?"

Becky cut off his inquiry about the postal service, saying that they had arrived at City Hall. Quickly, she took inventory of their massive assembly. Once all 63 High Council members, 94 guards, and 1 queen had been accounted for (7 had to be dragged away from a map of the subway), Becky led the Lexiconians inside, unsurprised when they encountered no security of any kind. She threw open the double doors of the mayor's office dramatically.

"Mr. Mayor? I'm WordGirl, and I have something very urgent to discuss with you."

The mayor nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden intrusion upon his busy Thursday schedule. **(Bonus points if you know where I got the busy **_**Thursday **_**schedule!) **

"WordGirl?" he repeated dubiously. "You're not WordGirl! She has that red outfit and cape."

Becky sighed and facepalmed at the mayor's incompetence. Shouting her catch phrase, she transformed into her signature superhero attire.

"WordGirl!" he declared happily upon recognition.

Yup, this was the right mayor.

"He hasn't changed a bit," Miss Power muttered with distaste as Becky changed back into her Lexiconian dress.

The mayor's smile faltered when he noticed Becky's vast entourage.

Noticing his concern, Becky continued. "Mr. Mayor, this is the High Council of Planet Lexicon and my mother, Queen Islanzadi."

"Um, okay," he replied, not appearing to understand anything Becky just said. "So why are you here? Is it about not having enough keys to the city, because I can–"

"Actually, it's much bigger than that," Becky interrupted. "You might want to sit down."

"So let me get this straight," he began carefully, once Becky had explained her story. "You're saying another planet is going to attack Earth in order to get revenge on you?"

"Yes, Mr. Mayor, and I would greatly appreciate it if you got the word around to all major officials in the United States, who then, I'm sure, will take it on an international scale. My mother and the council are willing to journey to disbelieving officials to verify your claims."

The mayor nodded and reached for his telephone.

"Wait," began Becky, who was expecting more disbelief for heralding an alien invasion, was amazed that the mayor actually believed her. "You really think I'm not making this up? I don't have to show you any holograms of the ships or anything? You do realize if this is a hoax, you could lose your job?"

"What's a hoax?"

"A hoax is an act intended to trick or deceive," replied all 159 Lexiconians in unison.

"Oh, well in that case, I don't think it's a hoax," he said matter-of-factly, without a hint of doubt. "You're WordGirl, and I trust you."

Becky was stunned yet touched by the mayor's blind faith in her. While the mayor conversed with the mayor of New York City, Becky turned to her council.

"Princess Alexandria, we beg you to re-consider," said Lord Alaric. "What if this is really just a hoax to leave our entire planet defenseless while we run off on a wild goose chase to save this planet that is, while fascinating, inferior?

Becky was appalled. "Of course I have considered that possibility. However, it's too much of a risk to leave Planet Earth without adequate protection."

"It's an even greater risk to not protect your own planet, princess!" interjected Lady Esmeralda, spatting out Becky's title as if she couldn't stand the taste of it upon her tongue. "What kind of an heiress are you if you don't attempt to save the planet you rule, the planet who has faith in you, the planet where you're really from? You may have been raised on Earth, but you are by no means human."

"I may not have been born on this planet, but this is my home now," retorted Becky. "And just because I've discovered my second world doesn't mean I'm giving up on my old one."

"But that's just it!" she cried. "You were never part of this planet. You owe humanity no allegiance, no repayment. Why do you insist on defending them?"

"Because I grew up here. Everyone I've ever loved is here. These are the people who've made me the person I am today; letting them die would be like killing a part of myself. I can't let them go. Don't you understand?"

"No, I don't! In the name of Asteria, why can't you ever think rationally for once? Why do you always let emotions control you?"

"They're a part of who I am."

"Gah! I refuse to be led by a future queen who is so utterly incompetent for the task! Lexicon needs a ruler who can guide our planet with strength and bravery, not an insipid, softhearted little girl!" This remark was greeting by mumblings of affirmation by other matters of the council.

"Lady Esmeralda, I won't permit you to speak to my daughter in that manner!" declared Queen Islanzadi. "The throne of Planet Lexicon is hers by birthright, and nothing you can do will change that."

"Mother, let me deal with this," said Becky with a bitterness and rage.

"You're not Becky Botsford or WordGirl anymore," continued the spiteful noble. "You're the princess of Lexicon, so you better start acting like it. If you wish to keep your title, you have to leave all of this behind you and save your home. Your _real _home." When Becky remained silent, she pressed on. "Everyone's lives are depending on you. Whether you like it or not, you have to make a choice. What are going to choose? The planet where you were always an outcast, unable to reveal your true self to the world out of fear? The planet where you never belonged, no matter how hard you tried? Or will you choose the planet of your birth, the planet that reveres and honors you? The planet where you never have to hide, finally free? For sixteen years, you've been trapped between two worlds, unable to let go, yet unable to fully belong to either. Now it's time to delve completely into one world for the sake of both. The only question is which one. Are you Becky 'WordGirl' Botsford of Planet Earth or Princess Alexandria Theia of Planet Lexicon?"

The choice was amazingly easy, made in a heartbeat without any doubt or uncertainty. Renouncing her royalty and Lexiconian heritage, Becky threw her diadem to the ground, shocking everyone in the room as the fragile headpiece shattered. Becky felt the strands of energy tying her to Lexicon's people fading into wisps of smoke as if they'd never existed. Then she firmly turned her back on her family and her destiny, taking to the sky in a streak of gold.

* * *

**Well... nothing much to say about that. I think you all got the message.**

**I can't even tell you how much your reviews mean to me. Whenever I go on my email, there's always a tiny squeal of delight from seeing a message from FanFiction saying 'new review'. So keep them coming, please!**

**Love to all,**

**Bella**


	8. Changing Path

**Salutations! Honestly, not a lot happens in this chapter. This is because I was going to merge this scene with Chapter 9, but they were too long. That's why there's no cliffhanger. Oh well, enjoy anyway!**

**Random quote:  
"Keep away! Keep away!" "A little kitty kitty!" "Oh yeah? Well, at least I don't love WordGirl like you do!" "But you're afraid of a little kitty cat! Meow meow meow!" "Love love love!" "Oh Dr. Two Brains, he sees a kitty and he goes EEK!" "(to wedding march) Love love love love! Love love love love!" "That's it. Our collaboration is ****_over_****!" "Hmph. Finally we agree." "Uh, where are we?" "And why are we in handcuffs?" (door slams) "Ooops..." (We all LOVED this scene!)**

**–Two-Brains and Tobey, "Mousezilla"**

**Disclaimer: If I owned WordGirl, I would totally buy the Wilrose Building, even though I despise frozen yogurt.**

* * *

Unlike last time, Becky barged through the door of the Evil Villains Association without fear, partly from urgency, and partly from the knowledge that after everything she'd been through, there wasn't much these criminals could do to harm her anymore.

"WordGirl!" shouted Granny May from the podium. "What are you doing here? You know very well that no superheroes are permitted at the Evil Villains Convention!"

Experiencing a sense of déjà vu, Becky said with surprising nonchalance and sarcasm, "Pardon the interruption; I know you all have crimes to commit, evil schemes to devise, but I'm afraid those plans will have to be rescheduled. An alien planet has come to defeat Earth."

All the villains took in an equally sharp gasp, which Becky would've found amusing if the situation wasn't so dire.

"That's frightening, alarming, and scary, too," said Lady Redundant Woman.

"Can't your planet stop it?" asked Two-Brains.

"Unfortunately, Planet Zenith – the planet that's invading – is far too powerful for Planet Lexicon."

"Why do they want to attack us?" asked Ms. Question. "What did we do wrong?"

Becky sighed. "Their goal is to get revenge on me. I was part of the bomb squad that killed their king."

Another collective gasp. "You… you killed someone, WordGirl?" asked Chuck apprehensively.

"No!" she exclaimed a little too quickly. "I wasn't the one who set of the bomb; Tobey was." Her voice choked up at the mention of his name. "And I saved this baby girl, Princess Elaine. Plus, I really didn't want to go on the mission in the first place!" As Becky continued, it sounded like she was trying to convince herself of her innocence more than to any of the villains.

"But wait," said Mr. Big, possibly with a twinge of sympathy for her plight. "You're the princess of Lexicon if I remember correctly. Can't you resolve this conflict diplomatically?"

"I think both sides are too riled up to turn back now," she replied sadly. "An archer from Planet Zenith almost killed my mother. And plus, there's nothing I can do now. I… I…" She didn't want to say it for fear that if the words left her mouth, her actions would become completely irreversible. "I'm not a princess anymore. I shattered my diadem." The last sentence came out in a whisper, and for some inexplicable reason, Becky felt as if she had let someone down by her rash decision. Maybe that person was herself. She tried not to cry, but the tears fell anyway, the bravado from her entrance all but gone. In a way, she felt disappointed by not being a princess. Despite all the hard work and training it had taken to prepare for her coronation, a part of her, stronger than Becky had realized, was terribly excited to be living the life of lavish luxury most girls could only dream of. She was thrilled of having a grand destiny to fulfill, of having a greater purpose in life. Even though she loathed have the lives of millions depending upon her, part of her felt egotistic at having such importance. Becky wanted to become a legend, a girl that would be told about far and wide throughout the centuries. Now that she had turned her back on destiny, Becky felt useless, insignificant, and vulnerable. Without the responsibility of saving her kingdom, what purpose did she have in life? She wanted her life to matter, to not waste the precious time she had in this state. Becky didn't think she could bear it if she became a nonentity, one of those nameless, faceless figures in history, for if that happened, it would be as if she'd never lived at all. She herself didn't want to live forever; rather, she wanted to become eternal in the hearts of future generations. Without her destiny, Becky didn't see how that could be possible.

Unused to the thought of comfort, the villains didn't know what to do for the crying superhero. They fidgeted uncomfortably as she struggled and failed to control her emotions. In the end, they all came to a mutual consensus that they would pretend not to notice WordGirl's moment of weakness as she dried her eyes and regained her composure.

"Anyway, I was hoping you would help my mother's army with your special abilities," she continued, greeted by murmurs of fear.

This day had been so hard on her, so it was with a bitter, harsh tone that she said, "You do realize that either way you've got a chance of dying, but if you fight, you'll have a much better chance of you, as well as your planet, living?"

All the dissenters simultaneously turned a shade of red, embarrassed that they hadn't thought of that themselves.

"That knocked some sense into you," she muttered. In a louder voice, she said to contact her mother at the mayor's office. As the villains proceeded to their getaway cars and drove to Town Hall, Becky realized with a pang that they were good people, but they just didn't know how to show it.

Taking a moment's repose, Becky sat in the now deserted Villains' Convention and took out her silver locket, gazing longingly at Tobey's face. She didn't regret her decision to reject her royal title, but she wished the price hadn't been quite so high.

"I'm sorry I got you involved in all of this, Tobey," she whispered, imagining that her love could carry her message all the way to where her heart, Tobey, was trapped and protect him in a way she never could. Becky knew she could never hope to save Tobey all by herself, and now that she had turned her back on her home planet, who could she turn to for help now?

Becky's super hearing detected another person, and she whipped around into a reflexive battle pose, ready to strike the intruder. When she saw that it was only Doctor Two-Brains, she relaxed her position, embarrassed.

"What? Forgot where City Hall was?" she questioned sarcastically, trying to assume her usual confident, self-assured tone from battle and failing miserably, her words coming out tense and more than a little sad.

"No, I was wondering whether my archenemy was going to give up and cry or actually do something about the crisis she'd gotten herself into."

Becky was about to protest, saying that it wasn't her fault, but she would only end up with a paper-thin excuse trying to cover up her guilt. This entire war was all her fault, so only she could make it right.

"How can I make it right?" she asked desperately. "How can I possibly fulfill my destiny when I'm no longer the princess of Planet Lexicon?"

Two-Brains pulled up a chair next to her. "The WordGirl I know would never doubt herself or her destiny. She would insist that she could save the world while doing what's right. And anyway, who says you have to be a princess in order to fulfill your fate?"

"There was a prophecy written about me, called Angel's Sacrifice, dating back to the beginning of our civilization. However, no one has ever heard it in its entirety. It foretold of an heiress to the throne of Lexicon who was destined to save the planet. At first, everyone thought it was about me, but now, it's obviously not."

The doctor scoffed. "That's a load of rubbish. You think our destiny is set in stone, a path already laid out for us to follow like mindless puppets? We ourselves forge our destiny everyday. Prophecies are mere outlines of what could be, a road we're set out on at birth, but we have the ability to steer away from that road at anytime. You knew that, WordGirl, I know you have. You're just using the prophecy as an excuse because you're terrified that you're going to fail everyone you love. Crying that the world is unfair isn't going to fix anything; all it's going to do is guarantee your failure. If you want to save Tobey, get out of here and find him. Be the hero the world needs, that he needs."

Becky felt like she had been slapped in the face as Two-Brains said everything she was feeling inside as plain as day. How did he know her so well? Whenever he or anyone else did that, it made Becky feel ashamed, yet she knew he was right. Tobey was in danger, and every minute she spent in fear was a minute when Tobey could be taken even farther away from her. She couldn't let him down just when he needed her most.

Her eyes burned with determination and fire as Two-Brains pep talk kindled to life her anger at Zenith for taking Tobey away from her.

Just before she was about to leave, the evil scientist added, "Would you mind not mentioning this to any of the other villains?"

WordGirl smiled. "Of course, Steven."

His face instantly became somber at the mention of his old identity. "You know that's not who I am anymore," he said quietly, with the tiniest hint of guilt.

"Maybe I know you better than you think."

* * *

**As you can see, I'm pretty fond of these nice little WG and Two-Brains scenes. I'm just going to save your troubled little TobeyxBecky minds the worry and say flat out that Two-Brains and WG won't be paired together in this story. *hears collective, relieved sigh***

**Keep those reviews coming, everyone!**

**Love to all,**

**Bella**


	9. Leap of Faith

**Okay, so this is a short chapter, but a lot happens. ****_A LOT. _**

**Today's the season premiere of season 4! Enjoy it, everyone! (even though my station is stilldoing reruns today. Grr!) I'm really itching for 'Gift Pony'! Sure it's a cold, Becky... Just out of curiosity, wasn't anyone irked by the fact that in 'WordGirl Makes a Mistake', she collapsed after just 10 seconds of wearing Lexonite, _unable to even stand, _yet in 'Gift Pony', she's walking around for HOURS, her superpowers only being hindered, not completely taken away? She even defines a word! That is either a freakishly effective immune system on Becky's part or a gaping plot hole. Sorry, I got sidetracked. Just go ahead and read the chapter!**

**Random quote:  
"Don't worry, Penelope Pony! I'll find your friends!" "Thanks, WordGirl! You're the greatest superhero ever!" "Oh come on, you don't mean that." "Yes, I do. All the magic ponies think so!" *gasps delightedly* "They do?" Me: Oh brother.  
WordGirl and... well, WordGirl! "The Wrong Side of the Law: Part 1"**

**Disclaimer: You want a disclaimer, corporate executive? Go check out the other 30 disclaimers I've wasted precious seconds of my life on.**

* * *

"No!" Becky cried at her adopted family's proposal. "None of you even have powers; it would be much too dangerous."

"But we want to help, Becky!" shouted TJ with equal resolve.

"Believe me, you can't. Now that I've turned my back on my planet, I can't authorize any security for you. Zenith is going to squash Earth like a bug; you need to be evacuated, just like everyone else is worldwide. You'll be taken to either Planet Solaria or Planet Linphea where you'll be safe. I can't afford to see you in danger."

"And neither can we, Becky!" declared her mother without the slightest trace of fear. "We're your family, and we'll stand by your side, even if it costs us our lives!"

"Same goes for us!" added Violet and Scoops. "We'll definitely help you find Tobey!"

Becky felt tears welling up in her eyes by their bravery. "You have no idea how much this means to me. Times like this make me feel so blessed that you found my spaceship 16 years ago."

"It was a blessing for us, too, honey," replied her father. "You were a remarkable gift, not only to us but to the entire world. You won't let us down, I know it."

"I've been working on a tracking spell," said Violet thoughtfully. "I'm not that good, but if Tobey's being held in the city area, I think I can pinpoint his location." Without further ado, Violet transformed into the fairy of creativity. Closing her eyes in intense concentration, she progressively created a dazzling purple orb of magical energy. Becky, along with everyone else, watched with rapt concentration until the Lexiconian heard a faint beeping sound, too quiet for humans, yet it was a sound she would know anywhere. It was her communicator belt signaling, and there was only one other person in the galaxy who could trigger it.

Unnoticed by her family, Becky shot like a missile out the window to her Super Secret Spaceship Hideout, knowing exactly what she would find but not knowing how it was possible.

"You!" she said with a mixture of vehemence, surprise, and relief at seeing her former sidekick, the one who had betrayed her countless times. He was disguised in his monkey form, complete with his pilot's uniform and communicator belt identical to Becky's. His guise almost made Becky believe that everything could go back to a time where they were friends, were she could trust him.

Almost.

"Becky, you have to listen–"

"No! I'm done listening to your lies! You've betrayed me too many times!"

"You're right. I have. I just wish I could make you see that every horrible lie I've told you was because I truly do care about you."

Becky scoffed. "Of course you'd say that. You think I'm just some pushover, a naïve little girl who will believe anything? If you do, you're dead wrong. I gave you a second chance on Zenith, one you obviously didn't deserve. You're insane if you think I'll give you a third."

Amazingly, Huggy's eyes were brimming with tears. "Oh, Becky. I've tried so hard to protect you from your destiny. I handed you over to the Winx Club because I believed your death could prevent this apocalypse. I hid my true identity because I wanted to delay the day when this wretched burden would be thrust upon you. I'm not going to apologize for what I did because I did it in attempt to shield you from your awful fate, the Prophecy of Angel's Sacrifice."

When Huggy mentioned the prophecy, Becky forgot all about her resentment. "How do you know about the prophecy?"

"I've heard it all," he replied bitterly. "Every terrible word has been etched in my mind for all eternity. Sixteen years ago, I came to Queen Mariam of Planet Sparx, seeing a way to save my sister, Maria, who was gravely ill. Sensing my distress, the queen said that I must contact the Wise Ladies, the guardians of our destiny. They speak the language of the stars and weave the intricate paths of fate. She warned me that the Wise Ladies may not tell of a cure, and that their prophecies always came at a terribly high price, but that was irrelevant to me. I loved Maria dearly, and I couldn't stand the thought of her death. Queen Mariam summoned the Wise Ladies for me, using the Crystal Heart of Healing. Beautiful yet heartless creatures they were, they told me that Maria would die that day, and nothing in the universe could save her. In addition, as if my sister's fate wasn't punishment enough, they named the price for their prophecy: I was to be named Guardian of the Angel. From that day forth, I was destined, no, forced to protect you until you were ready to fulfill the prophecy. That day has finally come. The Prophecy of Angel's Sacrifice will be fulfilled today, and you, Becky, are the destined one. Whether you've realized it or not, my entire life has been devoted to protecting you from the unavoidable."

"What's going to happen to me?" Becky cried, scared out of her mind. "Please, Huggy, if you've ever cared for me, tell me!"

"I'm dreadfully sorry, but I can't," he said truthfully. "Believe me, I wouldn't be caring for you if I said it."

Becky's fear was replaced with anger. "Fine! Why did you come to me then, if my destiny is already sealed? To feed me more lies? To betray me like you did on Zenith?"

"Are you really that blind, Becky?" Huggy scorned. "Did you really believe the king would leave his most valuable files unguarded like that? That laptop only contained trivial, useless information. Any information pertaining to Queen Islanzadi's attempted assassination would be kept in a single hard drive, guarded 24/7 by the planet's top guards and security system in the central vault. You never would have gotten within twenty meters of it. When I 'handed you over' to the palace security, I was bestowed the highest security clearance in gratitude for your capture, even though you were never actually arrested. Betraying you was the only thing I could think of to gain the king's unwavering trust. And so, I was allowed access to the king's files, and all the information I swiped is now yours." He pulled out of his pocket about twenty sheets of paper, all of which he held out to Becky.

Becky eyed the papers apprehensively, unsure if it was a trick. "How can I trust you? How can I know that everything you've told me isn't a lie?"

The monkey's pain was clearly displayed in his eyes. "Becky, you know me better than anyone, even myself. You've been my companion on Earth for nearly 12 years. Didn't that mean anything to you?"

"I thought it did," she spat. "It did until I learned that it was all a lie."

"Do you remember the first time we battled Timmy Tim-bo, Big Left-Hand Guy, and Ms. Question?" Huggy inquired.

Taken aback by the random question, Becky said yes automatically, forgetting to be angry.

"Well, you said that I needed to believe in myself. You trusted me, and even though I don't deserve it, I need that same trust now."

Becky was torn between her mind and her heart. She desperately wanted to believe him, but with so much at stake, was it really worth the risk? Yet how else would she be able to save the world if she didn't take that leap of faith?

"Give them to me," she commanded, letting a surge of anxiety wash over her, fearing she was making the worst mistake of her life.

Relief clearly etched on his face, Huggy gave her the files, his hand trembling violently with an unknown fear. The moment the papers left his hand, the monkey fell to the ground, writhing uncontrollably.

"Huggy!" Becky screamed, kneeling at his side. "What's happening to you?"

"I've fulfilled my duty as guardian," Huggy gasped, fighting for breath. "The minute I give you my final protection is the minute I die, just as the Wise Ladies prophesized. I'm just sorry that I can't help you any longer."

"No!" she cried, tears glazing her cheeks. "You have to live, Huggy! You can't die!"

"I died the moment the Wise Ladies took full reign of my destiny. I couldn't escape my fate; I can only pray to the stars that the same does not hold true for you. Know that I have always cared for you, Becky." Huggy's breathing slowed as he gave himself up to eternal peace.

Trembling with sorrow and the chill of death, Becky released her grip on her beloved monkey sidekick. Even though she had seen someone pass away before, it didn't lessen the pain in her heart. First Andrew, now Huggy, why did people insist on sacrificing their lives for her? What was so special about her to deserve such a gift? And with Huggy, her sidekick, gone, how could she possibly go on?

Memories clouded her mind, filling her with grief, but Becky forced them away, knowing that she couldn't live in the past if she wanted to save the present. It wasn't what Huggy would have wanted. She turned to the discarded files, rapidly scanning them, knowing time was of the essence if she wanted to save Tobey. She spotted the report she had partially read on Zenith before she was discovered: "From the seventh lunar phase of Celestia's reign in the 9084th Aster, a few days before my coronation," she read aloud to herself. "Reports state that a large quantity of Lexonite was mined and shipped to Zenith to be used for _energy sources_." It wasn't for the arrow after all. Becky hurriedly flipped through the rest of the files, finding no evidence of a coordinated assassination. At first, Becky didn't understand what that meant, but soon, the pieces fell together, perfectly fitting, revealing the complete picture.

"Of course," she breathed, unable to believe it. "How could I have been so blind?"

There had never been a declaration of war from Zenith in the first place. Someone had planted a ruse, a madman intent on having the rival planets needlessly destroy one another.

A madman with Tobey as captive.

* * *

**Wow. And so goes the brave Lexicon Air Force pilot, Captain Huggyface. For real this time. No trickery or magic resurrection; he's dead as a doornail. Yes, it's sad way for the monkey to go. Or is he an ape? "If it doesn't have a tail, it's not a monkey; it's an ape!" Hehe! People on the WG wikia will know what I'm talking about. If you're not, I'm quoting a song from Veggie Tales. **

**Share your favorite Huggy scenes/episodes in the reviews! Personally, mine was 'Where's Huggy?' because it gave an interesting account the hardships he goes through on a daily basis. On a side note, doesn't anyone think that a person who is a living dictionary shouldn't be THAT addicted to dictionaries? I'd find it pretty boring, obsessing over what's been planted in my mind since birth, but oh well.**

**And third, that ending was a twist. In all honesty, did anyone expect that turnout? I'm sure a few people suspected it. And who do you think is Tobey's captor? Let me give you a hint: it's someone already presented in the Radiance series and/or the actual TV show, so it's not a new OC character. Any guesses?**

**Love to all,**

**Bella**


	10. Message from Above

**Hola! In this chapter, you get to meet the Wise Ladies, my version of the Three Fates. Just to clarify, in case you haven't quite picked up on it yet, there are three dimensions: The Shadow Dimension, The Magic Dimension (home of Huggy and the fairies), and the Hope Dimension, which is ours. Each lady is from a different dimension, as you will soon discover. Also, prepare to learn the identity of the archer who almost killed Miss Power! LivingLRW, that is an ****_excellent _****guess, even I didn't think of it, but nevertheless, it's incorrect. Great try, though!**

**Random quote:  
"Yes, Doctor Two-Brains, why ****_are _****you here?" "I'm here to get a...gift! For my anniversary!" "You're not married." "I meant my niece's graduation!" "But Boss, she graduated two years ago. Lovely affair." "It's the anniversary of my niece's graduation. Her graduationaversary."  
–WordGirl and Two-Brains "Rat Trap"**

**Disclaimer: Never have, never will, don't want to!**

* * *

With Violet's tracking spell hovering in the palm of her hand, Becky dashed through the streets of Fair City, passing Captain Gigglecheeks who was helping scared and confused humans board the evacuation ships. The orb guided Becky to the outskirts of the city. As she flew, every particle of her being was focused on saving Tobey. There was no doubt or fear in her heart, for that had been replaced with boundless love.

As Becky soared to a series of run-down, abandoned warehouses, Violet's tracking spell suddenly became burning hot, causing her to relinquish her grip upon it in alarm. The purple orb expanded, turning a glaringly bright white. As if sculpted by a pair of invisible hands, the light morphed like putty into the hazy outline of a person, which then spilt into three. Soon, the details of these strange beings grew more profound until the light faded, leaving in its place the three most beautiful women Becky had ever seen.

The first one was like a shadow come to life. Her ebony hair swirled around her pallid, moonlight-white face, caused by an invisible wind. She was clothed in tattered black robes with emblazoned golden runes. Also, this strange lady seemed to fade into her surroundings, giving her a ghostly aura. Becky knew it didn't make sense, but this woman was so old she was young, like she had gone through the entire circle of life. There were no eyeballs in her sockets, her skin clung to her seemingly fragile bones, and she wore a haunted expression, as if she were thrown into the fires of Hell and resisting the urge to scream. And yet, despite this horridness, there was an unmistakable beauty radiating from her, a joyful memory in the midst of all the sorrow and grief from the past, a memory that made life worth living for.

The second lady was not a lady at all but an adorable, dimple-faced girl, a Cupid come to life. She had a frivolous pink gown sequined with an abundance of flowers. Golden curls framed her plump, cheerful face, drawing attention to her sparkling cobalt eyes. Perfect golden wings sprung delicately from her back, ornate with various swirling designs. She was easily the most normal of the three. This girl seemed to be the embodiment of happiness, and yet something behind those innocent crystal eyes hinted at a great sadness, and yet she seemed more than willing to push that grief aside until a later day, determined to live in the moment.

The third and final lady was about seven feet tall, her entire body glowing with an otherworldly radiance. She wore a simple yet extraordinary golden dress that seemed to be adorned with the stars, perfectly setting off her fiery crimson hair that fell in soft waves about her shoulders. The lady's eyes were completely gold, with no iris or pupil to be found. Staring into those eyes, Becky was held captivated, seeing amazing strength and wisdom swirling in their depths. While young in appearance, this woman must have been as old as time itself, yet Becky also noticed a spark of child-like innocence and hope. Faint whispering voices seemed to resonate from her, telling tales of countless lives and even more to come, blending together into a haunting litany. She was faded in and out of focus, as if she were not fully substantial. But perhaps the most unusual feature was the pulsating neon blue strands of energy coiling around her body like strange tattoos. These millions upon millions of threads were in constant motion like slithering snakes, ever bending and changing their paths, making Becky dizzy just looking at them.

Becky was deathly afraid of these women, wondering who they were and why they had appeared to her.

"Fear not; we come in peace, Alexandria Theia," the third lady stated, her mystical voice like the twinkling of chimes and the wind whispering long forgotten secrets among the leaves.

"Who… Who are you?" asked Becky, awed by these women.

"I am Adriane, the first Wise Lady, Guardian of the Shadow Dimension, Queen of the Past, and Keeper of Memories," stated the shadow-lady.

"I am Lucindia, the second Wise Lady, Guardian of the Magic Dimension, Queen of the Present, and Keeper of Innocence," declared the fairy-child.

"I am Celestia, the third Wise Lady, Guardian of the Hope Dimension, Queen of the Future, and Keeper of Prophecies," announced the goddess-like woman.

At the mention of the Wise Ladies, Becky backed away in terror and revulsion. "You're the ones who caused Huggy to die!"

"He knew that magic comes at a price," Adriane replied without a morsel of sadness or regret. "He took the chance; the guilt does not fall upon my shoulders because the resulting consequences were unfavorable."

"Why have you come to me?" demanded Becky fiercely, wanting nothing more to do with them.

"The time has come for you to hear the Prophecy of Angel's Sacrifice."

* * *

Becky timidly peeked into the window of the final warehouse, the warehouse were she had fought the Wizards of the Black Circle four years ago. Trying to force that awful prophecy from her mind, she concentrated on the present. Celestia had told her she would find answers here, but how? There was nothing here. That was the problem with mystical creatures; they always spoke in enigmas, never making their point clear.

She continued venturing inside, trying to avoid the assortment of miscellaneous trinkets littering the floor. Becky squinted in the dim light to see if anyone was there. Her heart was thumping rapidly, a combination of fear and adrenaline causing her senses to go into overdrive. Another roll of thunder boomed outside, and in the flash of lightning, she could just barely make out the Zenith army ships flying towards Earth. Becky was deathly afraid of what she would find, but she kept telling herself to be strong for Tobey's sake as well as for the planet she loved. She couldn't be a coward, not now. Tobey's face burned in her mind like a beacon guiding her through the shadowy curtain of fear.

Just when Becky had determined that no one was there and turned to go, a voice resonated in the abandoned warehouse.

"I knew you would find me," the voice said. It was deep and booming, piercing Becky's heart with a feeling of utmost doom. She couldn't verify the speaker, and yet there was something about it that was strangely familiar. Whipping around in alarm, Becky caught the quickest glimpse of a figure moving in the corner, shadows obscuring the person's face.

"Who are you?" demanded Becky, hoping she sounded brave and authoritative, trying to mask the overwhelming trepidation inside.

"Don't you already know?" the voice asked with a hint of amusement. Becky braced herself to learn this mysterious man's identity, the person who had almost killed her mother, started a realm-wide war, and kidnapped the person she loved. As the mysterious person stepped into the glare of the bare light bulb, everything became clear.

Tobey had never been kidnapped.

The initials on the arrow had never been a declaration of war.

They had been the initials of a person.

TTM.

Theodore Tobey McCallister.

* * *

**Well, well, well, you weren't expecting THAT! Well, some of you probably were, but oh well. All will be explained tomorrow, in the final chapter of Angel's Sacrifice!**

**Reviews are welcomed!**

**Love to all,**

**Bella**


	11. Prophecy Fulfilled

**Hi, me again! Okay, I know I might've shocked some of you with the cliffhanger at the end. In this final chapter, you learn why Tobey is so plain awful, and... no, it's too good, I can't say it!**

**On another note, Tobey will pray in this one. I am a devout Catholic (come on, the word angel is in the title; I doubt that's a big shocker), but rest assured, I am not one of those convert-to-Christianity-or-you-will-burn-in-Hell kind of people. I'm not trying to brainwash you or anything; it's just that since I practice Catholism, it is the easiest medium for me to work with. I don't care whether you're Jewish, Muslin, Hindu, or any other religion as long as you read my stories. I apologize if anyone is offended, for I will try to be more politically accurate in the future. I just needed to put that in there in case some people get the wrong idea about me.**

**Disclaimer: Those innocent little minds would never be safe if I owned this show.**

* * *

"Tobey," Becky breathed, hardly daring to believe it. "What happened to you?"

The boy genius sneered, his now onyx eyes filling the whites of his eyes with purest darkness. "I would call it evolved, but you would call it possessed. Four years ago, this vessel ventured to my resting place, my prison, seeking eternal life with you. Several before him had similar desires; however, those were too fragile to contain my essence and died as a result. Tobey would have died as well if your power hadn't saved him. Slowly but surely, I ate away at the Light of Hope you infused in him. Now, it's all erased. Tobey is mine to control."

"You're the Shadow Phoenix," Becky gasped in realization, remembering that awful day when Tobey became Lexiconian.

_Suddenly, everything went dark, as if it were a solar eclipse and an impenetrable darkness covered the land. A piercing wind resonated in the clearing, swirling dangerously around Adelina, whispering horrid secrets of death and destruction like a horde of demonic spirits. Just when it reached its peak, it transformed into a mighty black phoenix, darker than any night imaginable. On its forehead, glowed an exact replica of Becky's star and shield logo. Becky immediately began to feel ice cold, as if she had been doused with bone-chilling water. A wave of undiluted fear and sorrow washed over her. She wanted to scream, run, do anything to get away, but the darkness held her firmly in place. The powerful creature spread its wings and with a cry of agony and sorrow, flew to Tobey and forced him underneath the water... _

"What do you want with Tobey?!" she screamed in fury.

"The one you call Tobey is merely the vessel through which I enacted my plan. It was quite simple, actually. Using my powers, I took control of Tobey at your coronation and neutralized the effects of the Lexonite arrow until I fired it at your mother. I never intended to kill her, yet I knew your planet would believe otherwise when they saw the engraving upon the arrowhead. Honestly, for the planet of words and knowledge, your people are remarkably narrow-minded. I was practically screaming the name of the culprit, but you and your planet still fell hook, line, and sinker for my trap. They interpreted it as a war threat from Planet Zenith and responded accordingly. You practically handed me the perfect opportunity with the Zhinite bomb in the palace. I set it off, knowing that the king's death would throw Zenith into a vicious frenzy for revenge. In this way, I ensured that both planets would never rest until the other was destroyed, regardless of the consequences." Tobey smiled wickedly, enjoying the effect his villainous plot was having upon Becky. "I've always said that mankind are the best causes of their own demise. All you have to do is give them enough rope, and they'll hang themselves. So it is with Lexicon and Zenith. Once these two planets annihilate the Andromenia Galaxy, the Hope Dimension will crumble, allowing demons from my realm, the Shadow Dimension, to rise up and inhabit this realm. The Magic Dimension won't stand a chance against our might, and evil shall become unequivocal!" Tobey, or the Shadow Phoenix, whoever he was, tacked on an overly cheesy, maniacal cackle at the end of explaining his devious plot. Becky did have to admit, it was brilliant. She desperately searched the face of her former lover, hoping for some sign that he existed beneath the throttle of evil, begging for release.

"Still, you are the one threat to my success. Well, the Light of Hope is, actually; I won't have any problem dealing with you. That's why I faked Tobey's kidnapping. I knew you would find me, so I could finally finish you off." He smiled evilly with none of Tobey's affection.

"Tobey, I know you can hear me!" Becky cried. "You can fight the Shadow Phoenix; I know you can. You may have never loved me, but I've always loved you. I just couldn't see that until now. Please, Tobey, you've chased after my heart for almost two years when we where younger, and even when I rejected you, you never gave up. You can't give up now, not when I need you the most. Please fight it, Tobey, if not for me, then for everyone you love!"

Becky saw a flash of understanding and recognition glinting in his eyes before it was swallowed up by a hatred that was not his own.

"Nice try, Alexandria, but you're too late. There's nothing you can do. Theodore Tobey McCalister is dead, and soon you'll share in his demise!"

Without any warning, Tobey hurled an orb of negative energy at Becky. The darkness engulfed her, blinding her and restricting her breathing. Becky fell to the ground, shivering uncontrollably. She felt an unbridled sorrow consume her, filling every pore of her being until Becky forgot what happiness was.

"Well, that was no fun," taunted the possessed Tobey. "Where's all that strength, integrity, and Light of Hope I've heard so much about?"

Through the impenetrable haze of despair clouding her mind, Becky registered the mention of her powers, the only thing that could save her. Closing her eyes, she summoned up a happy memory, the day Tobey had tricked her into going out on a date while searching for his remote control. That day was so innocent and carefree, Becky had just been too blind to see it because of those walls she used to place around her heart and still did. She could feel the Light of Hope stirring inside her, but it wasn't strong enough. That was because Tobey didn't love her. And how could she love him when the constant fear of betrayal loomed over her head? As the darkness threatened to pull her under, Becky realized that she had to let go of all the worries and doubts holding her back from true happiness. Coming back to the memory, she reminded herself that Tobey loved her fully and unconditionally, the same way she loved him. They were destined to be together, and Becky couldn't question that love. She had to place her entire heart in his hands. Letting go of her greatest fear, the fear of being abandoned, the Light of Hope came to life, forcing away the Shadow Phoenix's energy and surrounding her in a protective cocoon of light.

Tobey backed away in fear, terrified of her power and radiance. Soon, it gave away to a mask of haughty indifference.

"Well, it looks like I've underestimated you, Alexandria," said Tobey with the air of one conversing about the weather. "I'm at your mercy. So what are you going to do now?" he questioned, his voice a hushed whisper. "Kill me?"

"I'm going to banish you, the Shadow Phoenix, not Tobey," replied Becky confidently, radiating endless beams of light.

"And how exactly do you intend to do that? The only way you can kill me is to destroy my host. Why do you think I chose him? See, Alexandria, I know your one weakness: love. That's why I hit you with that wave of negative energy. I knew if you didn't love this Tobey with all your heart, soul, and being, you would have died. If you did, I knew you would be able to save yourself with the Light of Hope by releasing a stream of love. And now that you've discovered pure, endless love for this boy, there's no way you'll be able to kill me, leaving you completely at my mercy. Either way, you lose, Alexandria. Ironic, isn't it, to be the cause of your own downfall?"

Becky's assurance faltered with the knowledge of knowing he was right. It wasn't like with Miss Power either, where Becky had the ability to change her ways. There was no possibility of redemption for this soulless abomination. Still, even if Tobey's spirit was gone, killing his body would break her, severing the tiny fragment of hope she still had. Still, maybe a fragment was all she needed. Maybe there was still a way to save the world. Tobey couldn't hang on much longer; she knew it. There was only one option that had any possible chance of success. It would require a firm courage and Becky controlling her power in a way she had never tried before, which meant it would probably never work, but if it meant saving Tobey, then Becky would march to the ends of the galaxy for him.

"I'm the savior of Lexicon," stated Becky. "I'm the only one standing in the way of you dominating my dimension. You don't want Tobey; you want me." As Tobey created another dark orb of energy, she continued even faster. "You plan to destroy me and the Light of Hope, but don't you realize what an asset my powers could be, what you would waste by destroying me? Even when you do conquer the Hope Dimension, there will be others, rival shadow demons who will try to rest your authority from you. You've already witnessed my power firsthand. Won't you need the Light of Hope's energy to keep those dissenters in check?" Tobey's interest in her rambling peaked, and Becky took this as a sign she was persuading him. Getting down on her knees, the Lexiconian continued. "Please, release Tobey and take me instead. You don't need him, but you need me. When you possess me, you'll become virtually invincible, your power unrivalled across the dimension."

Tobey thought Becky's offer over carefully. "Why in the name of Asteria would you, a little Miss Goody-Two Shoes, want to hand the world the ultimate weapon of destruction?" he asked suspiciously.

Becky gulped, hoping she would sound convincing. "You already said it: love. I love Tobey so much that I'm willing to do anything, even condemn my world to destruction. If I die, which will happen either way, I at least want Tobey to be safe."

"You do realize your boyfriend won't have anything to come back to once I take over?" he questioned further, not entirely sold on Becky's idea, sensing a hidden layer of deception.

She nodded fearfully, praying with all her might that he would be fooled by her ruse.

Suddenly, his entire face light up as if he were amused by a joke. "Ha! I get it now! You think your beloved Tobey will miraculously be able to defeat me once you're dead." His tone dropped to a dangerously soft whisper. "Do you have any idea how stupid that idea is, Alexandria?"

"Maybe you underestimate the power of miracles," Becky said with a note of defiance.

"Miracle or not, he'll never win against me, so I accept your offer, Alexandria Theia. Take in your fill of your beloved, for he will be the last thing you ever see."

As the Shadow Phoenix prepared to leave Tobey's body, Becky prepared herself to make the ultimate sacrifice. With a blood-curdling scream, a mighty phoenix, forged from shadows and inflictor of torment, rose up from Tobey's chest, causing the boy genius to collapse to the ground, motionless. The majestic yet terrible bird soared to Becky who didn't even flinch. She knew what she had to do and was determined to see it through. For the sake of Tobey and everyone she loved, Becky had no choice but to make this sacrifice. Praying she would live to see the light of day, the prophesized savior allowed the Shadow Phoenix to wrap her in his freezing cold wings, which caused an unstoppable wave of hopeless to penetrate to the very core of her being. Then the dark abomination drove itself into Becky's chest.

Becky let out a tortured cry of the utmost agony as the Shadow Phoenix and the Light of Hope clashed inside her. Light and darkness were locked in a deadly battle, fighting vigorously for control. Becky screamed and screamed, filled with pain, begging for it to end, to be granted the sweet, blissful release of death. She could feel herself slowly being ripped apart, her body contorting violently. Becky couldn't stand it, she was going insane, the bane of her essence being ravaged by the two deadly opposites. She closed her eyes and covered her ears to prevent her from hearing the tormented cries that were her own. She willed the Light of Hope to conquer, but she had no control over it anymore, for the light had thrown itself fully and completely into the battle. Becky would never be able to reign it in until the Shadow Phoenix's essence was obliterated. As the fight wore on, Becky could feel the vestiges of her life slowly slipping away. Through her absolute suffering, she realized with a jolt that if she died, so would the Light of Hope, and so would Planet Lexicon. She knew neither side was gaining an advantage, nor would they ever, for good and evil were made equal, neither granted the ability to overpower the other. One of them had to go, and it couldn't be the Shadow Phoenix.

Amazingly, the Light of Hope seemed to know what she was thinking and acted accordingly. Breaking free from the shackles of battle lust, the essence of Lexicon was once again Becky's to command. With a great heave, the Lexiconian girl forced the Light of Hope to leave her body and hover above her contorted form, trapping the Shadow Phoenix with her dying corpse. Sensing its demise, the evil spirit fought to free itself from Becky, but her willpower kept it attached to her, unable to escape.

_I saved Tobey, _Becky thought with a dreamy, satisfied euphoria as she felt the arms of Death carrying her away from the world she knew to begin a new life.

* * *

His head was throbbing, the world was spinning, and there was a persistent, bothersome ringing in his ears that refused to relent. These were the first things Tobey registered upon his return to consciousness. Sitting up, however, he forgot all his discomforts when he opened his eyes and saw Becky lying motionless a few feet away, the Light of Hope casting a glaring spotlight on her lifeless form. The memories from that day streamed through his groggy mind, causing him to blanch with fear.

The memory lapses, the irrepressible anger, everything finally made sense. He had released the Shadow Phoenix four years ago, yet it was Becky who had paid the price.

Tobey rushed to Becky's side, praying he wasn't too late. On his way, he tripped over an old sack, causing a shallow scrape to form on his elbow. If the circumstances hadn't been this urgent, he would have paused and stared in fascination, for he had never had the slightest bruise in the past four years. Surely, this was a sign that his former humanity had once more been restored. Still, Tobey was preoccupied with far more pressing matters. "Oh God, please, no, no, no! Becky, answer me!" He rattled her unmoving corpse violently but to no avail. Then he checked for a pulse, his hand trembling uncontrollably, his fingers numbed with the chill of death. Her chest wasn't moving, her skin was far too cold, all signs pointed to the conclusion she had passed on, and yet Tobey could sense that all was not lost. There was still a way to save her… but how?

Not knowing what else to do, Tobey knelt down and attempted to pray the rosary. That's what you did when you wanted God to save someone, right? Tobey and his family had never had much in the way of religion other than celebrating Christmas. Still, if there was ever a need for an all-powerful guy who could resurrect the dead, now was the time. He prayed ten Hail Marys but had forgotten what came next.

Forgetting the prayer, Tobey shouted desperately to the heavens, "Please, God, all I'm asking is for Becky to live. I know I don't deserve even the tiniest portion of her or her love, but she is a good person. She deserves a long, full life, so please give her one! She has a wondrous soul, even if she's not human. No, she's more than that; she's an angel, an angel who is on the brink of death because she chose to save me! If any of the stories are true, and even if they're not, save Becky for her sake and the sake of the entire world. Please, just don't take her away from me! I need this girl more than life itself. I'll do anything if it means saving her, just like she did for me. Please, I have to save her!"

As if He was answering Tobey's plea, a dues ex machina came in the form of Violet, the fairy of creativity. She descended from the sky like an angel, her delicate silver wings beating rapidly in the breeze, sunlight glinting off her sparkling lavender dress. Alarmed at Becky's limp form, she touched down and rushed to her side.

"I followed my tracking spell," she explained to Tobey. "What happened to her?"

"There's no time to explain," the boy genius replied, trying to preclude the tears streaming down his cheeks. "She's dying, and you need to save her."

"Oh Tobey," Violet said sadly. "Even I can't bring back the dead. The best I can do is keep her alive for a few minutes."

"Then do it!" commanded Tobey angrily. Roughly gripping her shoulders, he continued with frightening intensity. "Tap into that magical power source thingy and bring ourselves a miracle. If there's one thing I know, it's that Becky Botsford does not die today."

Violet nodded and set about her impossible task. Placing her hands over Becky's chest, she let waves of magic energy surround her, wrapping her in a haze of purple. Tobey waited with baited breath, his muscles nearly snapping with tension, waiting for Becky to take a deep breath of precious oxygen and see her beautiful eyes flicker open, shining with the light of life.

"Please, Becky, just hang on," whispered Tobey, taking her hand. "If you can hear me, and even if you can't, I love you. I love you with all my heart; I just haven't always treasured that. Even though mere words can never convey my regret, can never erase my mistakes, I want you to know that I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you. I would do anything, even sacrifice my life if it meant saving you, because life is nothing without you. If you die, so will I, so you need to fight this Becky! Fight for both of our lives! You're the strongest person I know, and I have faith in you. Please, Becky, I've lost so much. Don't leave me. I love you too much to let you go."

With his declaration of love, Violet ended the enchanted current surrounding Becky. Tobey waited for a verdict, but the tears in Violet's eyes said it all.

"I'm sorry, Tobey," she said, eyes sparkling with sorrow. "She's gone."

"No," he breathed, refusing to believe it. "NO!" he repeated angrily, yet he knew she was right. This corpse, which used to captivate him, was now barren and empty, for her soul had passed beyond the gate, even beyond the bounds of love. "Becky, come back! Becky, WordGirl, Alexandria, wake up!"

Over and over, he shouted all three names, but none responded, for all three were dead.

* * *

**I can just SEE your stunned faces! I'm sure that ending brought on strong reactions, most of them being some variation on "OMG, WORDGIRL'S DEAD! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS, BELLA? RADIANCE CAN'T END LIKE THIS!" Chill out, it's not: there's still an epilogue. And now I can picture that tiny spark of hope that just lit up at the thought of an epilogue. Well, just because I'm feeling especially evil today and wish to crush that hope, here's an excerpt from the epilogue:**

**_Finally, it was Tobey's turn. The flower trembling in his hands, there was so much he wanted to say. Memories, final prayers, and declarations of love swirled around his head, and yet all were inadequate in the presence of Becky's lifeless body. Nothing he could say could possibly rectify his mistake, a mistake that had cost Becky her life. She had saved him more times than he could count, and somehow he wasn't able to save her just when it mattered most. Fighting to hold back tears, all Tobey could choke out was, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."_**

**That's a passage from Becky's funeral, folks. Yes, you read that right: her funeral.**

**As you can tell, I'm not the kind of writer who believes in happy endings. Review, even though you all probably despise me for killing off your beloved heroine.**

**Love to all,**

**Bella**


	12. Epilogue: Remembrance

**I know that ending brought on strong reactions. Lightball34, I didn't mean to eat your soul. Honestly, I don't know what you'll make of this epilogue. This might either console you or make you cry.**

**Songs in chronological order:  
Funeral: My Immortal by Evanescence  
Shattered Mirror: Breathe No More by Evanescence  
Reflections and Guilt: Lost in Paradise by Evanescence  
Last Letter: Even in Death by Evanescence**

**Disclaimer: I didn't own it yesterday, so do you think I own it today? Yeah, I thought so.**

* * *

Becky's funeral was scheduled three days after Lexicon and Zenith had called a cease-fire. Zenith had agreed only because of Tobey's testimony and the fact their revenge had been exacted with Becky's death. Many cities on Earth had been damaged by Zenith's air raids, but fortunately, the casualties had been quite few compare to what might have occurred. But that didn't matter. There was only casualty Tobey cared about.

Her funeral was one of the most beautiful events Tobey had ever witnessed. It took place in the Temple of Peace, located on the moon of Dras-Animi. This final resting place was strictly for Lexicon's royalty, but Queen Islanzadi wanted her only daughter to reap the benefits of the title that, until 64 ring-phases ago, had been hers. The temple itself was a myriad of colors, more splendid than a thousand stain glass windows. It was decorated with Caritate Florems, Becky's favorite flower from her home planet, the sweet aroma reminding Tobey painfully of the girl he loved. Alacritas, birds similar to doves but with the shimmering scales of fish, perched in the rafters, singing the sweetest melodies. The entire place seemed to radiate a sense of peace and tranquility, as if the universe was conveying Becky's state of being. All in all, Tobey found it quite extravagant for a civilization that believed nothing lay beyond the threshold of death.

Queen Islanzadi, Planet Lexicon's nobles, Adelina, Violet, Scoops, the Botsfords, and even Dr. Two-Brains and Lady Redundant Woman (on behalf of all Fair City villains) were there to pay tribute to the princess. The Earthlings were clothed in black, while the Lexiconians donned varying shades of blue, which was a color of sorrow as well as peace.

Becky's corpse was carried in aloft on a platform of marble, supported by her foster mother, father, brother, and grandfather, all with relentless tears. The Lexiconian herself was clothed in simple yet beautiful strapless dress of gold, a symbol of goodness and purity. A flawless replica of her diadem sat upon her glossy locks of ivory. As she was carried in, Tobey tensed in anticipation, hoping in vain that Becky would miraculously spring to life like in a fairytale, saying that his love had saved her, that he hadn't made a mistake, that she would never leave him again. That moment never came. Placed in the circle of mourners, she remained perfectly still, trapped in eternal sleep. Ironically, Tobey could not remember a moment where she looked so painstakingly lovely as she did in the care of death.

Then, the speeches came from the nobles, many who had never even had a conversation with her. They were all the same: hollow and emotionless, none conveying the true, beautiful essence of the person Becky had been. Their formal, pompous speeches were filled with the same generic garbage about her bravery and her accomplishments to Lexicon, hailing her as the Heroine of the Battle of Salvation and the War of Angel's Sacrifice. They spoke of how she was at peace, and that everyone should try to do the same. _Yeah, that'll be a piece of cake, _Tobey thought sarcastically at the hypocrites. Only Queen Islanzadi's tribute held any morsel of emotion. No humans were allowed to speak, with Tobey falling into that category. That was fine with him. He didn't think if given the opportunity he would be able to suppress the overwhelming emotion trapped in his heart, tearing it to shreds.

Without any warning, Tobey began singing the lullaby his parents loved, the lullaby that flared to life in Becky's presence, making the world feel safe once more:

_Somewhere in the night without light  
There is a star that can't be seen yet  
Somewhere on an island without light  
There is a morning that can't be seen yet  
The morning of my love_

Through some unknown power, Becky's loved ones somehow knew the tune perfectly, their voices blending into a harmonious chorus of sadness, love and hope.

_I'll sing even if my heart is torn apart  
I'll sing even if my love is extinguished  
For I know that each day brings a new horizon  
And I will rise from the ashes with hope  
In morning of your love_

As they sang, it helped Tobey to know that he was not alone in his grief, that other people would be there to help carry the burden of his loss. Still, that didn't lessen the guilt, for he was all alone on that score. Timidly, Adelina slipped her hand into his, although whether it was a gesture of friendship or romance, he couldn't tell.

Becky was then carried out of the temple to a secluded place on Dras-Animi. It was perfect day: Asteria was shining radiantly, the plants seemed more vibrant than usual, and even the odd assortment of critters seemed chipper, as if the very universe was mocking the loss of Tobey's beloved. This moon was a close cousin of Mars in Tobey's eyes, for the barren ground was tinted a dull rust red hue and littered with craters. Still, there was an abundance of plant life, albeit wilder than on Lexicon. Seriously wilder. There was one plant the color of blood, giving off the putrid odor of decaying flesh, with spiky thorns around its snake-like trunk that was designed to quite literally coil around its victim like an anaconda and stab it to death. However, the most unusual feature of Dras-Animi were the millions of statues of actual people turned to glass. This moon served as Planet Lexicon's burial grounds, and the custom was to embalm the dead in crystalline glass, their bodies preserved as an eternal memorial. The corpses were scattered across the moon, frozen in various positions from a teenager laughing at a long-forgotten amusement to a mother cradling a small child in her caring arms. Lexiconians regarded this as sacred, but Tobey was apprehensive to say the least, paranoid that they would suddenly spring to life.

The procession halted when they arrived at the burial site specifically reserved for Lexicon's royalty. Reverently placing Becky on the ground by her birth father's statue, the Botsfords dispersed into the crowd, letting Queen Islanzadi take center stage. Taking out a small pouch from the folds of her gown, she handed out eleven flowers, keeping the 12th for herself. These flowers, Memorium Florem, also known as memory flowers, were used especially for this rite of passing. Similar to a blue lotus flower, they could record a person's voice and play it back on command. Lexiconian tradition was for the twelve who held the deceased's heart closest would whisper their final words to the flower, and superstition said that the dead could actually hear their voice.

The grieving assembly gathered around Becky's lifeless body, sharing memories of her heroic deeds as WordGirl, her endless compassion as Becky, her valiant determination and leadership as Princess Alexandria, and the simple goodness of her heart, which untied all three identities.

Finally, it was Tobey's turn. The flower trembling in his hands, there was so much he wanted to say. Memories, final prayers, and declarations of love swirled around his head, and yet all were inadequate in the presence of Becky's lifeless body. Nothing he could say could possibly rectify his mistake, a mistake that had cost Becky her life. She had saved him more times than he could count, and somehow he wasn't able to save her just when it mattered most. Fighting to hold back tears, all Tobey could choke out was, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

Tobey set the final flower down on the ground, completing the circle. At once, a blinding light erupted from all twelve Memorium Florem, encasing Becky in a gentle glow. When the light faded, Tobey saw that she had been turned to glass, a perfect memorial for all time. She was positioned with her hands folded in prayer with a faint, dreamy smile etched on her now colorless lips, as if she had just awoken from a peaceful dream. Millions of tiny rainbows danced playfully off the statue, and Tobey found this a much more fitting custom than the Earth tradition of crudely burying the dead underground like a memory to be pushed aside and forgotten rather than revered and honored throughout history. Resting at the base was a gold plaque bearing all three of Becky's aliases and the date of her birth and death. 16 short years, tainted by Tobey's negligence.

Seeing Becky turned into a glass sculpture truly impacted Tobey, mercilessly tearing away the last shred of hope he desperately clung to, a whimsical fantasy that she could still be saved. The full impact of her death slammed into him with the force of a car collision, yet it was only his heart that suffered the damage. There truly was no hope of bringing her back. As the crowd slowly dispersed, Tobey was left alone, able to grieve in privacy. He gazed forlornly into Becky's eyes, the eyes that used to hold so much light and life. Still, even in death, she seemed to look down upon her murderer – for Tobey had ultimately brought about her demise – with tenderness and undivided love. He averted his eyes in shame, for it was a love he didn't deserve.

* * *

It felt good to be free of the endless amass of consolers. Tobey knew they were trying to help him, and he appreciated it, but their words came across garbled and meaningless, warped through the veil of grief and isolation. Slamming the door, Tobey looked into the full-length mirror at the man he had become.

In his state of reflection, Tobey fully realized how much he had changed over the course of four short years. He had swapped out the itchy, uncomfortable sweaters for an assortment of T-shirts with various logos and sayings, with today's being 'I hate when people see me at the super market and say, "Hey what are you doing here?" and I'm just like, "Oh you know, hunting elephants."' The unflattering tan shorts were traded for more stylish blue jeans, and his dorky glasses from his childhood had been replaced with contacts.

However, not all his alterations were easily noticed. Looking further, Tobey was shocked by his face. His gaunt cheeks had lost all their boyhood roundness, the bones now prominently visible. His cracked lips were pulled painfully tight over his mouth like he was holding back a scream. His dead, haunted dark eyes burned with guilt in their sockets, out of focus, as if he were seeing things that weren't there. This was the face of a man who had seen a thousand tortures, a man without hope, a man who was dying, a man being burned at the stake.

Not wanting to see it anymore, Tobey shattered the mirror, sending millions of shattered pieces of glass crashing to the floor, several making shallow cuts in his skin, tiny rivulets of blood streaming down his arms as he covered his head. Yet another reminder he was human. That was good. It meant less time in this hell life had become. Tobey bent down and collected the shards, which were numerous but didn't hold a candle to the infinite fragments of his heart.

Why hadn't he been able to save her? Why? The question pounded in his head violently as if it were attempting to smash his skull, break out, and find the answer itself. How could he live at all if Becky was… was… gone? Becky had given up everything for him, even when he left her. She had loved him so much that she sacrificed her life for his survival, and yet he couldn't do the same for her? Why?

The answer was simple: He wasn't strong enough. His love wasn't strong enough. They were never meant to be, no matter how much he wanted to. She had been destined to love Andrew, just as his true soulmate was Adelina. And here was undeniable proof. He was the reason Becky died. He hadn't loved her; he had killed her. He never meant to, but that was irrelevant. He was sorry, but that was meaningless. Accidents couldn't be undone. Remorse wouldn't bring her back. Grief couldn't restart her heart. It didn't matter what events led up to it, only the result: Becky's blood on his hands.

So now that that was determined, what did he do now? How was he supposed to live without this suffocating cloud of guilt hanging over his head, unbroken by the sun of Becky's love? Was death the answer? Sure, it would be the easiest way out, but he would never do it. Not because it would tear his mother apart, but because he didn't deserve such an easy release from this pain. He was a sadistic monster, the death of someone pure and innocent, and he deserved to wake up every morning and never truly see the sun. Tobey would bear this agony, grief, and guilt until he either went insane or died. That was all he could do. Every tear, every scream of pain, every nightmare, and every heartache he endured would be taken to repay his infinite debt to Becky, the girl who had given up everything for him. It couldn't possible even begin to make up for all the pain, but it was better than nothing.

Gazing about the room, Tobey saw a burgundy envelope he hadn't noticed on his bedside table. On closer inspection, he saw that his name had been written in elegant cursive, in a handwriting he would know anywhere.

He flinched from the envelope as if it had struck him. He feared what it contained, and yet there was nothing in the universe that could break him even more, so he swiftly tore at the letter, earning a paper cut in the process. Letting the folds of paper tumble out, he saw that it was indeed a letter from Becky, stained with tears, addressed from 3 days ago, the day she died:

_Dear Tobey,_

_ I know that when you're reading this, I will be dead and buried. I have heard the prophecy, and I know what will happen if I choose to stay on that path. I want you to know that I did it for you. No, that's wrong. I did it for me, because I couldn't bear the thought of living in a world without you. So instead, in my final act of cruelty, I forced you to carry that burden. I know you can never forgive me, so I won't even ask of it. But now that I've made my choice, I don't want you to suffer. It was not your fault I died, though I know you will insist on blaming yourself so as not to taint the flawless yet inaccurate vision you've crafted of me. Please accept the fact I made this choice myself. If you ever cared for me, and even if you didn't, I want you to be happy, or at least as close to it as you can manage. I'm not asking for you to erase your memories of me, for I understand it is impossible. Instead, I want you to go through each day knowing that even though I was prophesized as an angel, you are far better than I ever could have hoped to be. Instead, I want you to live for me as well and take life as a gift instead of a curse. Instead, I want you to see the sun, to see me all around you, just as I know I will see you wherever death takes me, because we're a part of each other. I can never truly die as long as I live in your heart._

_ We were never meant to be together, but that doesn't mean I don't love you. I do love you, Tobey, more than you will ever know. _

_ With all my love,_

_ Becky_

Tobey set the paper down dazedly, a wave of understanding overcoming him. He didn't deserve love, no one did, and yet that magical gift was given every day; Tobey just had to look around, see it, and give it to others. Becky had and still did love him. Maybe… maybe that was enough. Maybe that love could guide him from the ashes of Becky's death to a new, brighter horizon. Maybe all wasn't lost.

As Tobey gazed into the shining sun, he felt the lullaby sing once more in his heart, a light of hope flaring with love.

And Becky smiled down at her beloved for the last time before flying into the sun's radiance, ready to begin a new life.

* * *

**The end... maybe. :D This is an ending which can be interpreted in two ways: Becky has come back to life, or Becky has moved on to eternal life, holding her never-ending love for Tobey in her heart. This depends on whether or not I write a fifth book. Honestly, I kind of like it like this, but since you're the readers, I feel you should get some say.**

**I know I mentioned a fifth and final book, but now that I've written the ending, I'm not sure if I want to do it. Gosh, I am the most indecisive person on the planet! I'm willing to go either way, but it will probably depend on your reviews. Personally, I think it's nice like this. You'll find out my verdict in a few days, for I'm taking a much-needed, week-long hiatus from writing. If I decide to continue it, look for the story 'Ashes of a New Horizon.' Here's the possible summary:**

**After faking her own death, WordGirl starts a new life in New York City under the alias of Rosalie Winters a.k.a. Starlight Girl. When fate and a mysterious girl named Zatanna lead her back to the life she cast aside forever, will she have what it takes to save the world? Will destiny rip her love for Tobey to shreds, a love that – according to the universe – was never meant to exist?**

**If I don't, which is now wavering at a tentative 60% sure, I'll write a story independent of Radiance, titled 'Fall from Grace', about WordGirl becoming evil. Don't worry; it'll be interesting, I assure you. I won't zap her with a ray of darkness or something like that. She will become evil entirely of her own accord. Interested? **

**Let me know which idea you like better!**

**A big, BIG shout out to everyone who read and reviewed Radiance, especially the following: crazytomboy78, MusicNeverStops474, animalartist821, Misspower200, nightmaster000, anonymous, AmandaStarGirl, possibly another anonymous, TheLivingLRW, happydreamer, Tobeyfan, casrules401, lightball34, TheLivingBeckyBotsford, and all future reviewers. I can't possibly begin to express my gratitude for reading my stories. Looking back on my first story, I've appreciated the fact that my writing is a journey, and I thank each and every one of you for taking that bumpy ride with me.**

**Love to all,**

**Bella**


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